Testimony of protected witness admitted to Martinelli trial

Judge  Jerónimo Mejía, acting as judge of guarantees, has admitted the testimony of a protected witness objected to by the defense of Ricardo Martinelli, in his wiretapping hearing Mejía considered it necessary for the witness to testify during the oral trial stage and ordered that his identity be kept confidential.

Mejía admitted 14 testimonial evidence that was requested by all parties: the prosecution, headed by magistrate  Harry Díaz; the private accuser Rosendo Rivera, and the defense including  Alejandro Garuz and Gustavo Pérez. The last two who are being prosecuted for the same acts, in a case that is in the Sixteenth Criminal Court.

The testimony of 59 people (including the President of the Republic, former presidents, ex-ministers, officials of the National Security Council, auditors, among others) required by the fiscal magistrate and the private prosecutor was also admitted, and they were not challenged by the defense

The participation of Luis Enrique Rivera Calles , forensic expert of the  Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (Imelcf) , who participated in the ocular inspection procedures to the email  brad.pty507@gmail.com  and several computers and hard disks, was also endorsed.  carried out at the facilities of the National Security Council. The defense had objected to its presence.

Mejía also dismissed the objections of the defense to seven booklets containing the results of the ocular inspection procedure performed to the email brad.pty507@gmail.com, which are under reserve by order of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court. “It is clear that the booklets are useful and necessary for experts,” said the magistrate.

“You will  excuse me, this was really titanic,” said Mejía at one point, while looking for documents on his desk.

Mejía also admitted as expert evidence Rivera Calles; to Luis Carlos Abrego , computer forensic expert of Iemlfc, and Chief Warrant Officer Gustavo Adolfo Scott Valdes , the Analysis Unit, Statistics and Dissemination of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) .