OFF THE CUFF: Heel dragging justice

THE TRIALS of four corruption cases involving irregularities in the National Assistance Program (PAN), in the government of Ricardo Martinelli, will begin in 2018, some four years after he left office.

The Fifteenth Criminal Court will hold hearings of disbursements of the (2009-2014): purchases of tires and backpacks, rental of helicopters and use of goods acquired with state funds to do politics.

All hearings will be public by decision of Judge Leslie Loaiza, according to a bulletin of the Judicial Branch, released on  Tuesday, December 26.

Journalists will be allowed to attend without carrying cell phones, cameras or recorders.

The hearing for the purchase of tires will be held on February 28, 2018; the alternate date will be on March 8.

April 17 will see the hearing for the multi-million purchase of backpacks to distributed in state schools with May 23 as, an alternate date.

Loaiza fixed  June 4 for the hearing for the goods acquired with PAN funds that were distributed Heriberto Yunito Vega, candidate for deputy of the then ruling Democratic  Change Party in the circuit 6-2 (Herrera), in the general elections of 2014. The alternate date will be June 27.

The audience for the rental of helicopters was set for July 4  with August 6 as an alternate date.

All will depend on the number of potential delaying moves by defense lawyers, with a cynical public awaiting wrist-slap penalty agreements.