Blue Apple linchpin will remain behind bars

Lawyer Federico Barrios  a central player in the Blue Apple case in which millions of dollars allegedly landed in the pockets of government officials to enable contractors to obtain profitable deals will stay behind bars following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed him a flight risk

On October 30 the Court denied him a writ of habeas corpus, declaring his detention legal and did not approve the replacement of the caution.

Barrios has been detained since  January 4 under investigation for money laundering.

He is linked as the legal representative of Blue Apple Services, the company that moved millions of dollars to corrupt officials in the Ricardo Martinelli administration. The sons of the ex-president are also linked to the case.

Magistrate Luis Mario Carrasco, the rapporteur of the ruling, indicated that added to the serious injury to the State, there is a risk of flight because last year, Barrios traveled abroad 15 times.

The ruling was by a majority vote from 7 to 2. José Ayú Prado and Asunción Alonso issued a salvage vote by not agreeing with the decision. Ayú Prado has disagreed with previous rulings involving the Martinelli brothers.