Move to bring ex-president to trial on money laundering charges

Panama’s Organized Crime Prosecutor, Marcelino Aguilar, has called for former President Ernesto Perez Balladares  to be brought to trial on money laundering charges.

La Prensa says that sources in the Public Ministry  reported that the prosecutor turned over a 60-page case file to the Ninth Criminal Court. The content is similar to the case file that was submitted in October 2010 by Jose Ayú Prado, who is now the Attorney General.

 At that time  Ayú Prado pursued charges against Balladares, former Minister of Housing Roosevelt Lito Thayer and nine others in connection with payments they received from Lucky Games, a shell company that receiving  funds from gaming companies that had been granted licenses by Balladares.

Prosecutors since  dropped charges against several when it was determined they were simply employees of Balladares.

 The investigation was extended in November  and prosecutors added to the case file by  conducting, more interviews, including Balladares' wife, Dora, two of his children and his son-in-law.