Martinelli to face Supreme Court for illegal pardons

PANAMA’S Supreme Court has admitted yet another a complaint against former President Ricardo Martinelli for crimes against public administration in connection with 355 pardons he granted at the end of his administration.

The Attorney General referred the complaint to the court in August 2014. The pardons were revoked by President Juan Carlos Varela.
Judges will now petition the Electoral Tribunal to suspend Martinelli’s electoral immunity. They also appointed Abel Zamorano as the prosecutor of the case and José Ayú Prado as the judge.
According to the complaint, the pardons granted by Martinelli were not allowed under the law, as they were not for political crimes.