Two former ministers behind bars

TWO MORE MINISTERS  of the Ricardo Martinelli era got their introductions to prison cells on Wednesday, September 6, charged with money laundering after questioning linked to the Odebrecht bribery scandal.

Demetrio Jimmy Papadimitriu (Presidency) and Jaime Ford (Public Works) were ordered detained by the Anti-Corruption Special Prosecutor’s Office, after being submitted to over 12 hours of interrogation.

The inquiries and arrests of the ministers are part of the investigations into bribes handed out   by Odebrecht in Panama.

Luiz Eduardo Soares, a member of the  Odebrecht [Bribery] Operations sector revealed  in Brazil that he  paid bribes to Ford. Miguel Batista, a lawyer for Ford, said the prosecutor has charged his client with money laundering. He denied the charges and said that he will bring the relevant remedies to revoke the arrest. He said that his client stripped himself of the electoral privilege he has as a candidate in the internal elections of the Democratic Change.(CD) Party.

In  Papadimitriu’s case, Luiz Antonio Mameri, responsible for paying bribes for Odebrecht, declared in Brazil that he gave $4 million to the minister of the Presidency in the last government.

Nicolás Brea, lawyer for Papadimitriu, confirmed Papadimitriu’s arrest for alleged laundering of capital. He said that the measure is unfair, and they would demonstrate that the ex-official did not receive Odebrecht bribes.

He explained that the former minister presented himself to the prosecution to avoid the arrest and investigation of his mother, Maria Bagatelles, also wanted by the prosecution as part of this process.

Papadimitriu told reporters, when he arrived  at the prosecutor’s office at 8. 30 a.m.: “I am here voluntarily, my mother [Mary Bagatelles de Papadimitriu] has been cited in one of the cases […] I am appearing to see what it is, since I do not want it to be harmful to my Mom or any of my relatives.”