Ex-university rector facing embezzlement probes

THE FORMER Rector of the University of Panama (UP) Gustavo García de Paredes is under criminal investigation in three cases arising from his time in office.

The first to reach court in  Panama follows research into supposed anomalies in the design and execution of improvements in the Faculty of Dentistry.

Prosecutor Adecio Mojica accuses the former director of alleged embezzlement. The investigation, which began at the beginning of this year, reveals a possible impact on heritage

of the UP for civil works and electricity in the Faculty of Dentistry, which had to be carried out in

2013 and were not done. A forensic audit of the Comptroller General determined a possible patrimonial injury of $37,000.

The Comptroller’s report details that purchase orders for materials and other equipment, were issued but these were not used in the work.

When he went to the prosecutor’s office for questioning, García de Paredes denied the accusations and

sais: “Everything is working perfectly in the Dental School” The former  rector  he remains under  house arrest and cannot leave the country as part of another case under  the Anticorruption Prosecutor

for alleged anomalies in the rental to the Pacific-Atlantic  Consortium of 21 hectares of land near Tocumen International Airport that belonged to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

The ex-rector faces other processes for alleged mismanagement in his administration in the UP.