Ex-Minister exits preventive detention
WHILE demonstrators were on the streets protesting against impunity and corruption The Supreme Court of Justice, was informing former Ministry of the Presidency Jimmy Papadimitriou that his preventive detention was replaced with country arrest, meaning he’s free to lead a normal life but has to report every two weeks. The ruling was made by Judge Cecilio Cedalise.
The precautionary measure was imposed by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor of the Odebrecht case on September 6
Papadimitriou served in the Martinelli administration, but assisted, Juan Carlos Varela during his presidential election campaign.
In the ruling in which he resolved the habeas corpus presented by the defense Cedalise declared his detention legal but replaced it with the new measure. The former minister was detained after being investigated over bribes paid by Odebrecht in exchange for public infrastructure projects public.
Jaime Ford Castro, a former minister, was also investigated and arrested but remains in El Renacer prison.
The lawyers of both ex-ministers filed habeas corpus before the Supreme Court. Ford’s has not yet been resolved by magistrate Hernán De León.
