Interpol alert and call for 21-years jail for Martinelli

THE PROSECUTOR  of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, over allegations of wiretapping of over 150 political opponents and others has called for  a 21-year prison sentence  and   issued a blue alert to Interpol to locate the man who fled Panama on January 28.

Martinelli left Panama bound for Guatemala, where the headquarters of the Central American Parliament are located.

Supreme Court  Judge Harry Diaz, acting as prosecutor  sustained in writing that Martinelli gave orders to members of the National Security Council (NSC) for the interception of communications.

He stressed that the ex-president  established an organized apparatus of power, through which he gave the Security  Council  instructions to execute illegal activities that violated human rights.

The prosecutor announced that the trial will present documents and testimony of former ministers and former officials who were close to power with Martinelli and gave statements about the wire taps.

Angel Alvarez, a lawyer for several victims who were caught in the  process, said he asked the prosecutor to file an arrest warrant for  Martinelli  because of  the gravity of the crimes he is accused of. He said the blue alert only puts him on notice and allows the alleged infringer to evade justice.

Meanwhile, Martinelli’s lawyers  said the prosecutor  Diaz violated Criminal Procedure Code by  avoiding the phase of allocating charges and presenting  the indictment reports La Prensa.

After completing the investigation into the wiretapping during the last government, which affected at least 150 people, mostly opponents, the prosecutor asked Judge Harry Diaz to 21 years in prison for the deputy of the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) and president of Ricardo Martinelli country.

In the indictment, presented on Friday, October 9  afternoon before Judge  Jeronimo Mejia, the prosecutor accused  Martinelli of the alleged commission of four crimes and requested the maximum penalty in each.

The prosecutor also asked the judge to guarantee the opening of the trial of the process that follows the Parlacen deputy.

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