Rights of Martinelli messenger boy not violated

THE  SECOND  Criminal Superior Court  has thrown out an appeal  by the former secretary of ex-president Martinelli against a lower court ruling that his fundamental rights had had not been violated.

Adolfo Chichi De Obarrio who has been dubbed “the messenger boy” for his role in personally delivering orders  from Martinelli in cases now dubbed Corruption is a fugitive who fled Panama with his wife on Christmas Day 2014 is facing charges of unjustified  enrichment

In a ruling of October 27, the court upheld the decision of the twelfth  criminal judge Óscar Carrasquilla, who denied in the first instance the request by the defense of the ex-secretary.  Gilberto Pérez, De Obarrio’s lawyer, alleged that his client had his fundamental  rights violated

as, according to him, the process was initiated without summary evidence that would generate evidence

of the commission of a crime. The court rejected this argument, stating that the Public Ministry provided evidence such as checks, deposit reports and the audit of the Comptroller General according to which De Obarrio did not submit his patrimonial declaration, as befits officials.

The audit specified that De Obarrio obtained revenues of $3 million that could not be justified.

43