Martinellis brother fingered by scandal witness

MARIO MARTINELLI, brother of former President Ricardo Martinelli, in his capacity as owner and majority shareholder of companies Hialing Corporation and Vafepa was the one who invested money, took decisions and made all the arrangements for two sales contracts for school bags costing $5.3 million, paid for with money from the National Assistance Program (PAN).

The declaration comes from Pablo Ruiz Obregon, in an extension of his preliminary statement on July 8 to the Second Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, reports La Prensa.
Ruiz Obregón has been detained since June 8 after being accused of alleged crimes of fraud in public procurement, embezzlement, corruption and fraud.
Hialing, whose legal representative was Ruiz Obregón, won the first contract for the purchase of backpacks for $1.6 million in 2012.
At the request of Mario Martinelli second, Vafepa, SA, was created to tender with the state, and mitigate risk in obtaining contracts.