Judge puts Odebrecht bribery cases in danger

THERE ARE at least  13 effective collaboration and penalty agreements linked to investigations of bribes paid in Panama by the giant Brazilian construction company  Odebrecht, but six of them are in danger because a judge has refused more investigative time says Attorney General, Kenia Porcell.

Judge  Lania Batista denied a request for more time presented by the Special Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office to complete the investigations linked to money transferred from banks in Panama and laundered in Switzerland.

The agreements that were in development are, “for now”, suspended, said Porcell. There are 63 people imputed in the investigation

The Attorney said that Odebrecht has already handed over  $10 million and, before the end of the year, will pay $11 million more to Panama, part payment of the fine of $220million, as part of the agreement that the construction company agreed with the Public Ministry on July 26.

Porcell said prosecutor Zuleyka Moore will appeal the ruling of substitute judge Batista. If the Second Court Superior backs  the judge, then, they will resort to a protection of guarantees before the Supreme Court

Next Sunday, Panama will host a meeting of the Swiss Attorney General with representatives of the Public Prosecutors of several countries of the region, who are carrying out investigations of Odebrecht bribes.

Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala and Argentina have already confirmed their attendance.