Wrist slap and property return for multi-million thief

THE FORMER head of the now-defunct National Assistance Program (PAN) Rafael Guardia Jaén,  charged with stealing multi-millions in the case involved in  the purchase of grains through the entity has been sentenced to five years in jail and gets to keep his mansion in Costa del Este, and other properties and more according to a plea bargain deal approved by The Fifteenth Criminal Judge, Leslie Loaiza, on  Wednesday, December 13.

The convicted felon wants to serve his time under house arrest

The judge acknowledged that Guardia Jaén already “returned” illegally acquired property valued at $30 million, that had been seized by the Anti-Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office during the research phase.

The agreement was appealed by the Public Ministry, so the document will now go to the Second Superior Court of Justice.

Guardia Jaén’s  lawyer Víctor Orobio- said that up to $30 million in goods and money had been returned but  Jaen asked to keep real estate that was according to Orobio- acquired before he became director of PAN.

Specifically, it refers to a mansion in Costa del Este and two apartments.

The defense also requested the replacement of the prison sentence with house arrest.

Prosecutor Adecio Mojica refrained from commenting on that request to the judge, stating that he would wait for the second Superior Court to resolve the appeal.

Orobio and the Anticorruption prosecutor, Aurelio Vásquez, acting as spokesman for the Public Ministry, confirmed that the parties are working on collaboration agreements in other court cases on purchases with funds from the PAN.

The hearing before Judge Loaiza took place behind closed doors, for security reasons, Orobio said.