Deputies nix complaint against judges

The  Credentials Committee of the National Assembly,  rejected on Thursday, October 12, a criminal complaint filed against Supreme Court judges José Ayú Prado, Hernán De León and Luis Ramón Fábrega.

The complaint was for the alleged commission of crimes of abuse of authority, infringement of duties of public servants, usurpation of functions and obstruction of the functioning of a State body.

It  was filed in  March, by Magaly Castillo and Rafael Candanedo,of the Citizen Alliance Pro Justicia, alleging that the three judges  appointed staff s of the courts and tribunals of the Judicial District of the accusatory criminal system (SPA) without having  power to do so and ignoring “ex profeso” the procedure determined in Law 53 of 2015, which regulates the judicial career.

The chairman of the Credentials Committee, Luis Eduardo Quirós,  said his colleagues and legal advisers concluded that the judges made the timely decision  “since in the provinces of Panama, Colon and Darien it was necessary to make them [appointments], since it had been postponed. “

He said that “the implementation of the accusatory criminal system was fundamental and, as time was very short, the judges made decisions for the benefit of the system regardless of the requirement, since the staff were on an interim basis. However, they have a proper training. “

In all, the judges made 600 appointments. according to the complainants.

The  complaint said the designations were “arbitrary” and have “grave consequences because they compromise the functional independence of judges in charge of the courts.”