Ex ombudsperson in legal quagmire

PANAMA’S former ombudsperson recently dismissed by the National Assembly is mired in a series of criminal prosecutions and legal maneuvers.

The Public Ministry (MP) has decided to separate the two processes for crimes against the state by Patria Portugal.

The Third Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office will be responsible for the investigation of alleged irregularities in the signing of a contract for $250,000 with the company Imaginarium Studio, SA, for the creation of a logo and a website.
The Second Anti-Corruption Prosecutor officially opened a second process on July 2 related to a contract for $ 200,000 with the company En Avant, SA for a consultancy customer service.
In the case of the contract with En Avant, SA, the prosecution has not yet received the audit report asked for from  the Comptroller of the Republic in mid July.
Both processes were referred to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor because the National Assembly dismissed Portugal and she immediately ceased to be an official with authority and jurisdiction and therefore the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court lost the competence to prosecute.
The Third Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office is investigating Portugal for embezzlement.
Meanwhile, in the Supreme Court has to resolve two pending constitutional injunctions filed against the decision of the Assembly to fire Portugal against the research undertaken by the MP. Both injunctions were filed by her lawyer.