Community work deal for convicted money launderer revoked

Raúl De Saint Malo García, sentenced to 5 years in jail for money laundering in connection with the Odebrecht bribery scandal, who until Thursday, October 10  had not spent a day behind bars 

He left an appeals court hearing handcuffed and with a police escort on his way to the Tinajitas prison in San Miguelito.

At the hearing, magistrates Luis Mario Carrasco, presiding Yiles Pittí and Fernando Alonzo revoked the once a week community work in Ancon instead of jail.

When considering the seriousness of the crime. Carrasco warned that there is no precedent that indicates that the prison sentence for money laundering can be replaced by communal work as de Saint Malo intended. 

Nedelka Díaz, a lawyer for De Saint Malo – brother of former Vice President Isabel De Saint Malo de Alvarado – announced the filing of constitutional guarantee protection.

Earlier in the week, Saint Malo had said in an interview with La Estrella, that the prosecution had tried to pressure him into providing evidence against his one-time business partners, the sons of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli.

Prosecutor Tania Sterling said that their work was done and that they have fulfilled their role, and the message has been sent about the consequences of committing a crime.

She  added that there is a general clamor from society that people who have looted the country’s funds must respond and not slip away from the administration of justice