The anatomy of a Panama jail break

Prosecutor Elisa Arosemena revealed the way in which the six accused facilitated the escape of Dahan, extradited from Spain to Panama on March 7 by Interpol, to face trial on July 26. for half a million dollars fraud

Arosemena detailed that for an inmate to be entitled to a special meal, wear clothes different from the penitentiary uniform and move off the premises without handcuffs, as Shy Dahan did daily, he must have written permission from the director of La Joyita.

She said that Dahan went periodically to Castellanos’s office.

On June 14, Corporal Luis González, in charge of pavilion 6, assigned to the Israeli, received a call from Major Herrera ordering him to transfer Dahan to control # 1, (office of Commissioner Castellanos), he left without handcuffs, without uniform and without custodians.

On the same day the escape  was detected but the return of the Israeli was never recorded in the record book. González informed Lieutenant Rigoberto Pérez that Dahan had not returned, adding that he was summoned by Castellanos, who ordered him that the count would not be made until the next day, on June 15.

Arosemena extracted documents from the ‘folder’ where Major Herrera tells custodian Donis Chávez, to show that Dahan had returned. “Note that he returned, everything will be fine”, said  Major Herrera.

The Judge of Guarantees, Doris Medina imputed the charges of evasion, forgery of public documents and embezzlement as author of Castellanos; for evasion and falsification as author of Herrera; and the rest for evasion as primary accomplices.

Judge Medina granted precautionary measure for Elías Miranda, to report on the 17th of each month and impediment of leaving the country; for René Moreno a bail of $1000 and report on Monday of each week and for Donis Chávez, report on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the prohibition of leaving the country.

Ramón Castellanos, Humberto Herrera and Plutarco Pedreschi, were arrested.