Ex-mayor said delaying bribe trial
Ex-mayor said delaying bribe trial
TOP ANTI-CORRUPTION prosecutor, Ruth Morcillo has accused Panama’s former mayor Bosco Vallarino of dilatory practices in attempting to delay his trial for allegedly taking bribes while in office.
The hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, Sep. 19 but Vallarino arrived with a new lawyer and a request for a postponement
The new lawyer who will handle the case is Héctor Bonilla, replacing Margarita Córdoba.
Vallarino is accused of allegedly receiving a $6,000 bribe of $6,000 from the Brazilian businessman Alexandre Ventura Nogueira, in order to facilitate a contract for the construction of the underground parking lot in Belisario Porras park.
Vallarino admitted the bribe during an interview on TVN on February 26, 2015, which led to the prosecutor’s Office initiating an investigation.
Morcillo – who in her fiscal opinion recommended the
Vallarino and Ventura Nogueira – said that Tuesday’s moves were evidence of strategies to delay the case.
“Can an accused fail to present a brief, and request requesting postponement of the hearing date when yesterday the previous lawyer submits a request for prescription of the criminal action. … Logic indicates delaying strategies” said Morcillo.
During his time in office Vallarino blundered from crisis to crisis until Panamenista Deputy Jose Isobel Blandon became his volunteer front man. Ex-president Ricardo Martinelli hand-picked a successor, to Vallarino but she was defeated n the 2014 election by Blandon
