Judge fears Martinelli retribution denies bribes

The trial of Ricardo Martinelli for alleged illegal interception of communications has  produced seven 7 prosecution witnesses to date with another  63 waiting in the wings, but there are already a number of related sub-plots developing including former Supreme Court Judge Harry Diaz, the original prosecutor appearing on Tele Metro to deny accusations on social media that he had sought  a $13 million bribe from Martinelli,

TVN reports a web of strong accusations that show how State resources were allegedly used to violate the privacy of citizens of all sectors of society.

Judge Diaz, one of the main actors was the prosecutor in charge of giving shape, meaning and depth to the findings of the case

went public to defend himself against the accusations of “coimero” (bribery)  He said that during a visit to Palacio de las Garzas, when Martinelli was president, he confessed that he had intercepted a woman’s communications, for personal purposes. According to Díaz, it is a fact that they  were illegal

PRD leader and seventh prosecution witness Mitchell Doens said that what was said by Judge Díaz reinforces what “we all know”.

Doens added that just as Martinelli confirmed to Diaz that he was playing at least one person, so the former president told him that he had his conversations intercepted but with judicial authorization, although that has never been ratified by the Judicial Branch reports TVN.

For his part, Carlos Herrera Morán attorney complainant announced that they will present extraordinary evidence to be taken into account in the trial of Martinelli, it is the testimony of Judge Diaz and an “intimate friend” of the accused. However, this must be evaluated by the Oral Trial Court.

During the cross-examination of Doens  on Thursday by the Martinelli defense, the lawyer Alfredo Vallarino sought to show contradictions in the statements made by the witness in November 2014 before the Auxiliary Prosecutor’s Office, and the material evidence during the oral trial; emails and recordings.

For the prosecution, this is an attempt by the defense to try to discredit Doens’s testimony since he himself has recognized the material presented to him. At midday this Thursday,

Prior to this,  Doens, challenged businessman Alfredo Mello Alemán to a polygraph exam. This happened after the witness described delved into a lunch that took place in the offices of the businessman where he agreed with Gabriel Btesh, another businessman close to former President Martinelli. According to Doens, that was the second time that Btesh had offered him money to lower political pressure against the government in power. At that lunch, according to Doens, he told him to give him a number to reduce the l attacks the opposition was making on to the Martinelli government. According to Doens, this was a message from the then ruler which Alemán denied to media on this Thursday. So Doens threw him the challenge of undergoing a polygraph to know who is telling the truth.

Diaz said  on TV  it is a fact that there were illegal wiretapping because the former president confirmed it to him. during a visit to Palacio de las Garzas, … when Martinelli was president, he confessed that he had intercepted a woman’s communications, for personal purposes. According to Díaz,

 Mitchell Doens said hat what was said by  Díaz reinforces what “we all know”.

Doens added that just as Martinelli confirmed to Diaz that he was playing at least one person, so the former resident told him that he had his conversations intercepted but with judicial authorization, although that has never been ratified by

Carlos Herrera Morán attorney complainant announced that they will present extraordinary evidence to be taken into account in the trial …  it is the testimony of Judge Diaz and an “intimate friend” of the accused. However, this must be evaluated by the Oral Trial Court.

For Sidney Sitton, lawyer of Martinelli it is about desperate acts of Diaz because he will soon finish his term as magistrate of the Supreme Court  and defense lawyer  Carlos Carrillo explained that in a meeting with Diaz they were approached for an agreement with the victims.

“I answered to you that this was totally false, even in the next hearing that took place in the intermediate phase, I told Mr. Martinelli very clearly that he was slandering me,” Díaz said in an interview with Telemetro Reporta.

“After December 7, when the Court said that we had no jurisdiction in Martinelli’s case because he resigned from Parlacen, then these people continue to attack me as ex-prosecutor of the case,” the magistrate replied.

If anything happens to me it will be Martinelli These people know no bounds”   he said