Ex-minister’s annulment appeal dismissed.

The Thirteenth Criminal Court dismissed an appeal for annulment in the process followed by Guillermo Ferrufino, former head of the Ministry of Social Development (Mides under investigation for the alleged corruption of public servants.

Ferrufino who once had presidential ambitions has been the target of multiple criminal investigations.

In a ruling dated September 6, the thirteenth substitute judge, Andy Gutierrez, dismissed the arguments of lawyer Franklin Amaya, defender of Ferrufino, that the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of Discharge ordered the investigation of his client after the investigation deadline and that, the process should be declared void.

In the ruling, Gutierrez said that the investigation procedure to Ferrufino was ordered on September 15, 2015, and that by that date the prosecution was within the legal deadline.

He also argued that, although the investigation materialized on November 30, 2015, after the expiration of the investigation term, Ferrufino had the representation of a lawyer, so that his fundamental rights were not affected and the due process was not violated

The investigation to the former minister has its genesis after it was determined that he had been donated an all-terrain vehicle during the electoral process of 2009.

Ferrufino also has a process in the Eleventh Criminal Court for the alleged unjustified enrichment reports La Prensa