Martinelli could be in Panama by April – lawyer

Ricardo Martinelli could be back in Panama no later than April, according to lawyer Sidney Sitton, who is part of the defense team of the ex-president.

The latest statement in the flip-flop farce came on Thursday, January 25, the day after Martinelli spokesman, Luis Eduardo Camacho had said that the former CD leader would be appealing the Jan. 22 decision of a judge,  confirming his extradition.

Sitton said on AM News that after the Tuesday hearing the defense team talked with their client and explained that the case for which he is being processed [wiretaps] was  “easy to face in Panama” because it is flawed.

If the bail is granted Martinelli’s defense, would not change his decision to return to Panama, according to what was agreed at the two-hour meeting held on Tuesday January 22, when the hearing concluded.

Sitton said that if the judge decides to grant bail, she should pass it to the Department of State to do the political-administrative process for the extradition, but it would be done under freedom.

Once Martinelli arrives in Panama, he goes before a judge in the Supreme Court of Justice, later he would resign from the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) and will go to the ordinary courts and the case would be treated under the Accusatory Penal System (SPA), said Sitton