Martinelli brother among 17 embezzlement defendants

The Anti-corruption Discharge Prosecutor’s Office has called for the prosecution of 17 people including former officials and merchants- for alleged embezzlement, corruption of officials and fraud linked to the purchase and distribution of school backpacks through the National Assistance Program (PAN).

The request was made  Wednesday, May 23, during a preliminary hearing in the Fifteenth Criminal Court,  before  Judge Leslie Alberto Loaiza.

The prosecution requested a call to trial of Mario Martinelli Berrocal, brother of ex-president  Ricardo Martinelli; the former Minister of Education Lucy Molinar and Adolfo De Obarrio the former private secretary of the ex-president.

The request also listed PAN suppliers and ex-employees Roberto Brin, Roberto Lucerondo, Jaime Ruiz, Franklin Alberto Araúz Ríos, Carlos Araúz Valdez, René Guardia Camargo, Pablo Andrés and Daniel Ruiz Obregon, Janeth Arauz de Caballero, Poulett Morales Montero, Eliécer Elías Tuñón Jaén, Julissa Lizbeth Stanziola Spencer, Abraham Williams and Berta Roldán.

A dismissal was requested for Giácomo Tamburrelli, a director of the PAN in the past government.

Previously, the judge validated the agreement of collaboration agreed between Rafael Guardia Jaén – and the prosecution. This was the second collaboration agreement of Guardia Jaén, validated by a judge.(He succeeded Tamburelli at PAN). The first was in the process for the purchase of grains, in which the former official pled guilty to  a crime against the public administration