Ex-minister’s election bid delays trial

Former Minister of Social Development (Mides)  Guillermo Ferrufino facing multiple prosecutions has temporarily dodged the bullet in  a hearing for the alleged corruption of public servants.

It follows, the purchase of a 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser, allegedly with money from State contractors.

In a ruling on Monday, March 11, Judge Alina Hubiedo reported indicated that the  Electoral Tribunal (TE) informed her on February 20 that Ferrufino enjoys electoral criminal jurisdiction, after having been nominated by Cambio Democrático as a candidate for deputy in the May 5 elections

That leaves him free from prosecution up to 15 days after the proclamation of results.

According to the information contained in the case file, Ferrufino bought the vehicle with from two payments, both in checks, one of $60,000 drawn by Food Gel, SA and another of $50,000 thousand by Security Safe Safes, SA

The companies that gave him the checks benefited from Mides contracts when he was a minister (2009 and 2014).

the hearing of the case has been suspended since April 2016 due to the presentation of appeals by the defendants.

In that year, the hearing was suspended in April and in August, when the alternate date was set. Last year, the act was suspended on May 22, July 16 and August 28. Now, it will not be held on April 9 and 10, 2019 -the last scheduled date-, because for that date Ferrufino will have jurisdiction.

For this process, Ferrufino has a measure of country arrest  (an impediment to leaving Panama.

More cases

He has  three other cases waiting in the wings  one for  justified enrichment and two for alleged anomalies in the purchase of grain and rental of helicopters through the former National Assistance Program (PAN)

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