Panama Papers Trial Enters Final Phase Tuesday
The case of the Panama Papers trial enters its final phase Tuesday April 16, with the closing evidence by the prosecution and defense lawyers. The next phase is the pleadings. 32 experts and witnesses were called to trial during the first week. The specialized prosecutor against Organized Crime, Isis Soto, estimated that she needs 10 hours to present her allegations and maintains that she has shown sufficient evidence to support that the 29 defendants committed the crime of money laundering through a network of offshore companies created by the defunct forensic firm Mossack Fonseca. The round of allegations will be opened by prosecutor Soto; then the lawyers of the accused follow. The second liquidating judge of criminal cases, Baloisa Marquínez, announced the order in which the defenders will present their arguments.
On Monday, April 15, the sixth day of the trial began with the statement of the forensic expert Luis Enrique Rivera Calle, in charge of downloading the digital information contained in the Mossack Fonseca servers. Rivera Calle reported that he carried out the download of the information with the collaboration of officials from the Public Ministry, given that there were several servers that contained a large amount of data, which is why the procedure lasted several days. Rivera Calle recalled that the raid on Mossack Fonseca servers was ordered by the then prosecutor against organized crime Javier Caraballo (now Attorney General of the Nation), and had the collaboration of officials from the Public Ministry.
The expert, questioned by prosecutor Marcos Mosquera, assured that during the procedure the chain of custody was complied with for the preservation of the computer data obtained during the raid. However, the defense attorneys severely questioned him, questioning him about his ability and preparation to carry out the download of the information from the servers. Diego González, who acts – along with Guillermina McDonald – as Jurgen Mossack’s lawyer, questioned the expert about whether the rest of the Public Ministry officials who participated in the review of Mossack Fonseca’s servers were computer experts, to which he responded – No.
González also asked Rivera Calle if the compact discs used to download the digital information were kept in compliance with the chain of custody, to which he responded yes. In the afternoon, Zuleyka Miter, wife of the accused Zacgary Lundgren, appeared as a witness, who is accused of having handled and received funds from Argentina, used for the purchase of several apartments in Panama City. Miter assured that her husband is innocent of the charges against him and that the transactions carried out were legitimate. Then, expert Miguel A. Martínez took the stand, and carried out an analysis of the Mossack Fonseca servers and determined that there were no alterations in the data contained in those computers. Fifteen witnesses requested by defense attorneys did not appear at the hearing. Jurgen Mossack, pictured below, arrives at the court house. 
