Strike Two against Martinelli in New Business appeal

Panama’s Supreme Court of Justice made public a second ruling in which it does not admit protection of constitutional guarantees presented by the defense of former president Ricardo Martinelli for the New Business case.

In Edict 1403 posted, on Tuesday, November 21, at the General Secretariat of the Court, the parties are informed of the decision made by the magistrates.

The ruling ratifies a sentence issued by Judge Baloisa Marquínez in the trial that took place on May 23, when she denied an incident presented by Alfredo Vallarino, from the former president’s team of lawyers.

On that occasion, Vallarino, as substitute lawyer, presented several medical certificates that described a series of physical ailments that Martinelli supposedly had, which prevented him from facing the process. That day Marquinez dismissed Vallarino’s request, alleging that the time to present the certifications had already passed.

Julio Sandoval, head of intensive care at The Panama Clinic, warned in one of the documents that Vallarino presented that Ricardo Martinelli had to be incapacitated and in rehabilitation for two months, with the purpose of “guaranteeing the highest success rate” of the spine surgery to which he underwent to correct a herniated disc.

Martinelli’s defense announced an appeal before the Criminal Chamber of the Court against the conviction in the New Business case.

The ruling bears the signature of Judge Miguel A. Espino, substitute for Judge Olmedo Arrocha, and the concurring vote of Judge María Eugenia López.

On November 16, the Court made public a ruling in which it also rejected an amparo of constitutional guarantees presented by Vallarino on behalf of Martinelli against decisions made by Marquínez during the third day of trial in the New Business case.

Martinelli was sentenced to 128 months in prison and paid a fine of $192 million. His defense announced an appeal against that decision before the Criminal Chamber of the Court.