Ferrufino Gets 10 years in Prison

A compliance judge in Panama unified into a single sentence (10 years in prison) the two sentences faced by the former Minister of Social Development (Mides), Guillermo Ferrufino whose current whereabouts are unknown.  Maybe he is sitting in Nicaragua waiting to see if any old Government friends will join him.  Ferrufino was sentenced to four years in prison for embezzlement and another six years in prison for unjustified enrichment.  The decision was adopted by compliance judge Jostan Guevara during a compliance hearing held at the offices of the First Judicial District of Panama, in Plaza Ágora, Friday, March 15^th.  During the hearing, Judge Guevara rejected a request presented by Ferrufino’s defense, made up of lawyers Eduardo Sequeira and Franklin Amaya, to replace the 48-month sentence applied to his client with a day’s fine.  The anti-corruption compliance prosecutor, Johaira González, opposed the motion raised by Ferrufino’s defense, alleging that the convicted person has not appeared at the trial and has not shown interest in initiating a resocialization process.  Judge Guevara rejected the request made by Ferrufino’s defense, arguing that said request did not meet the requirements established by the law and that the convicted person does not show any intention to reintegrate into society nor has he offered fair remuneration.  Following the judge’s decision, Ferrufino’s defense announced an appeal, so the hearing before the Superior Court of Appeals of the First Judicial District will take place next Tuesday March 19^th.