Panama wiretapping case stalled over 2 years

SUNDAY, April 1  marked the passing of two years and seven months since the investigations were concluded into the illegal wiretapping of  150 Panamanian citizens with still no court hearing in sight.

Ricaurte González, senior organized crime prosecutor gave details of Panama ’s laggard justice system in a video distributed by the Office of the Attorney General.

González emphasized that in there are 150 affected by illegal eavesdropping, of which 44 are those involved in the process that follows the former directors of the National Security Council (CSN) Gustavo Pérez and Alejandro Garuz.

On March 5, the Sixteenth Criminal Court suspended the hearing for the sixth consecutive time. Former CSN officers William Pitti and Rony Rodríguez were also investigated but are fugitives.

In addition, ex-President Ricardo Martinelli is in detention in a  Miami detention center awaiting completion of an extradition process initiated by the Supreme Court.for his involvement

Gonzalez said that the injured in the case are victims of “a serious crime” while in the privacy of their homes.

The victims include opposition politicians, journalists, lawyers, and businessmen.