Arrested ex-deputy avoids jail with electoral immunity
Former deputy Osman Gómez, who was captured Tuesday in Paso Canoas, Chiriquí, by agents of the National Border Service (Senafront), was released as he enjoyed electoral criminal immunity.
The information was confirmed by his lawyer, Nilo González, after a Guarantee hearing where the former deputy’s defense appealed for arrest.
Gómez, candidate for deputy for circuit 4-2 (Chiriquí) for the Alianza Party, has pending accounts with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in Veraguas, for the alleged embezzlement.
In a document from the Chiriquí Guarantee Court, dated January 22, and addressed to the commissioner of the National Police, Larry Solís, head of the Fourth Western Brigade, in Chiriquí; Guarantee judge Jackeline Montenegro González explains that in a hearing held on January 22, the arrest and removal of Gómez was ordered. He was asked to go to the offices of the Chiriquí Accusatory Penal System, but he did not appear. The former deputy and candidate also did not attend a hearing to formulate and charge precautionary measures that were scheduled for January 30. “He has been notified on different occasions and has not appeared,” reads the note signed by Judge Montenegro.
In 2017, Gómez was arrested at the National Police headquarters in the city of David, for carrying a firearm without a permit. In 2012, during the government of Ricardo Martinelli, he left the Panameñista Party and joined the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (Molirena).
Electoral criminal jurisdiction is the right of the presidents, vice presidents, secretaries, and general undersecretaries of the legally constituted parties, candidates, electoral delegates, electoral entities of political parties, members of electoral corporations, electoral officials, and liaisons to not be investigated, detained, arrested or prosecuted in criminal, police or administrative matters, provided that the latter involves the imposition of a prison sentence, without express and prior authorization from the electoral administrative courts, except in cases of flagrante delicto.
