Prosecution Wraps Case  in Martinelli Wiretap Trial

The Office of the Prosecutor Against Organized Crime ended on Friday, October 22, the presentation of evidence the trial of former President Ricardo Martinelli, accused of the alleged interception of telecommunications, monitoring, persecution, and surveillance without judicial authorization.

The last witness of the Prosecutor’s Office was the former magistrate of the Electoral Court, Erasmo Pinilla, who told the Court that his involvement corresponded to the infiltration of a series of institutional emails.

He specified that they were emails that he had exchanged with the leader of the Democratic Revolutionary Party, Mitchell Doens, in his capacity as general secretary of the political in April 2012.

Pinilla testified that at the end of April of that year, in a meeting called by Martinelli -at the time president- he was addressed in a haughty and annoyed tone saying “what do you do exchanging emails with Mitchell Doens, what do you do? so much you have to talk? ”.

The former electoral magistrate said that this situation gave him a feeling of utter surprise

Once the participation of this last victim was completed, the prosecutor Ricardo González informed the media that the Public Ministry presented 55 pieces of evidence, of which 36 are documentary, 17 testimonials, and 2 expert witnesses.

“With this, the Public Ministry feels satisfied and convinced that the crimes of interception of communications, monitoring, and surveillance without judicial authorization and the involvement of the accused have been proven,” said prosecutor González.

The Court decreed a recess until next Tuesday, October 26, when the defense of the ex-president begins its presentation of evidence.