David Ochy loses jurisdictional protection in New Business case

The First Administrative Electoral Court of the Electoral Tribunal (TE) accepted a request from Judge Águeda Rentería, who requested that the electoral criminal jurisdiction be withdrawn from businessman David Ochy Diez, in the midst of the investigation that is being followed for the alleged commission of crimes against public administration in the contract for the rehabilitation and widening of the Arraiján-La Chorrera highway.

The decision of the electoral court was announced this Tuesday, May 30, by edict. Rentería submitted the request to the TE last April because Ochy acquired the aforementioned legal protection because he ran to compete for the presidential candidacy of the Realizando Metas party, in the elections that this group will hold on June 4.

New Business
Ochy is one of those investigated for alleged money laundering in the New Business case, that follows the trail of the purchase of Editora Panamá América S.A. (Epasa), supposedly with public funds. The trial of this process, for 15 people, in charge of Judge Baloisa Marquínez, is being carried out these days; but without the presence of Ochy, because he was protected by the jurisdiction. His brother’s lawyer, Daniel Ochy, another of those called to trial, has warned over and over again that David Ochy’s name could not be mentioned at trial.

The company Transcaribe Trading (TCT) is one of those that, according to the prosecution, contributed funds to the New Business company to complete the purchase of Epasa. On Friday, May 27, expert witness Eliseo Ábrego, author of the financial document used by the Public Ministry to support the case, read a list of companies that contributed to New Business. He said that TCT transferred $5 million 50 thousand. It is presumed that this money came from an advance that the Ministry of Economy and Finance gave to the construction company for the contract for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Arraiján-La Chorrera highway.