Fugitive Chichi walks free

The Milan Court has ordered the release of Adolfo Chichi De Obarrio , detained eight days ago at the request of the Panamanian authorities, who require him for extradition.

The information was confirmed by Gabriele Minitti , De Obarrio’s lawyer, who also indicated that his client had already been released from prison and, at the moment, is without precautionary measures. His passport was not even taken away or a bond was imposed reports La Prensa.

“He is a free Italian citizen. Italy is not going to extradite him ”, the lawyer stressed.

Minitti maintains that the Milan Court has not recognized the validity of the bilateral extradition treaty between Panama and Italy, signed in 2013, since the Panamanian National Assembly never ratified it. The Italian Senate, on the other hand, did ratify it in 2016 and it has been the law of the Republic since 2018. Last week, the Italian Ministry of Justice and the Italian embassy in Panama had even said that this would be the document that would be applied. in the process of delivering De Obarrio to Panama says La Prensa.

The former private secretary of former President Ricardo Martinelli and one of his closest collaborators had been arrested on April 7 and sent to the maximum security prison of San Vittore, in Milan, since he was arrested last Wednesday.

After his capture, the lawyer Minitti filed an appeal with the judicial authorities to immediately revoke the preventive detention applied to his client, claiming that there is no danger of escape.

The former official left Panama six years ago. His whereabouts were unknown until now, despite the fact that he was under a search and arrest warrant requested by Panama from Interpol.