Inquiry opens into reports of pressure on judge.

ATTORNEY GENERAL Ana Belfon has opened an inquiry into the statements made by former Criminal Court Judge Alexis Ballesteros that he was pressured to rule a certain way on cases by senior members of the judiciary and officials from the executive.

Belfon made the announcement Monday, April 7.

 Last Wednesday, La Prensa published an extensive interview with Ballesteros who detailed the pressure he received from Supreme Court Judges José Ayú Prado, Alejandro Moncada Luna, Wilfredo Sáenz and Secundino Mendieta. Ballesteros said that Tourism Manager Solomon Shamah also pressured him
The allegations focus on three cases involving either opposition politicans or entities with close ties to the government reports La Prensa.
Three judges – Oydén Ortega, Harley Mitchell and Victor Benavides – have requested an extraordinary meeting of the plenum of the Supreme Court to discuss the allegations.
Ballesteros said he has received death threats since making his allegations.

President Ricardo Martinelli when questioned at a tourism ceremony at Rio Hato about the reports of government interference said: "I already told the lawyers that there is a judge who did little to drug traffickers and helped loosen the strings but I really do not know or have anything to do with it,"