Helicopter rental scam trial awaits ruling

After five days of trial, the First Criminal Settlement Court took advantage of the law to issue a ruling on 14 people, including four former ministers, in the case of alleged irregularities in the contracting of helicopter rentals with funds from the defunct National Aid Program (PAN).

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, represented by prosecutors Ariel De Gracia and Ada Almanza, in the pleadings phase, requested from the court of the case a conviction for the entire group of people accused of committing crimes against the public administration with different forms of embezzlement.

12 lawyers participated as private defense and asked the court for an acquittal in favor of the defendants, thus closing the hearing.

Prior to the allegations, during the trial days, extraordinary documentary, testimonial, and expert evidence were presented, as well as two incidents of prescription of the criminal action, which will be resolved in the sentence, the Judicial Branch reported.

Among those prosecuted are the former Ministers of Agricultural Development; Óscar Osorio and Emilio Kieswetter; Guillermo Ferrufino, former Minister of Social Development and Franklin Vergara; former head of the Ministry of Health.

Also included are the former administrator of the National Land Authority, Franklin Oduber, Arturo Alvarado, former director of the National Civil Protection Service, and Giacomo Tamburrelli, former director of the PAN, among others.

The investigation began in 2014, for alleged irregularities in the rental of helicopter flight hours for different State institutions through the PAN.