Ex-finance minister gets thumbs down in Odebrecht bribery case
Panama’s former finance minister and another defendant accused in the Odebrecht bribery scandal came up short on December 21 in the 12th Criminal court Courton December 21
Judge Oscar Carrasquilla denied an incident of controversy to f Frank De Lima, who complained that the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office did not give him access to a part of the Odebrecht case file.
The appeal was filed by the lawyer of the former minister, alleging that the prosecution did not give him copies of arrest warrants, of persons allegedly linked to De Lima.
Judge Carrasquilla also denied a request from, another of those involved in the corruption scandal.
José Porta who is under country arrest asked permission to visit a company in Chile that provides raw material to the company where he is general manager.
According to the judge, this is not an emergency meeting that could affect the economy of his company, but an invitation e to travel from February 26 to March 13 of next year.
De Lima and Porta are among 76 accused of money laundering, of alleged bribes paid by Odebrecht.
