The third liquidator judge of criminal cases, Baloisa Marquínez, denied this Thursday to the defense of former President Ricardo Martinelli, an appeal for annulment to suspend the preliminary hearing of the “New Business” case.
Marquínez affirmed that Martinelli, president of the Realizing Goals party, does not have electoral jurisdiction this Thursday because the internal campaign of his group begins this Friday, January 28.
However, the judge granted the opportunity to Ronier Ortiz, the former president’s lawyer, to present a certificate from the Electoral Court stating that Martinelli has that legal armor.
The jurist replied that he will do the corresponding procedures to be able to present that certification this Friday. And it is that the lawyer had brought to the judge seven bulletins from the Electoral Court, where the existence of the Realizing Goals party is certified and that its main representative is Martinelli.
Subsequently, the judge will analyze the other appeal for annulment presented by the former president’s defense.
On this occasion they request the suspension of the preliminary hearing because they reiterated that Martinelli is entitled to the principle of specialty contained in the bilateral extradition treaty between the United States and Panama, of 1904.
At 9:45 am on Thursday, at the facilities of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) in Amador, the preliminary hearing began for 25 people investigated for the purchase of Editora Panamá América, SA (Epasa), in 2010.
Among the defendants is Martinelli, a shareholder of Epasa. However, Ortiz reported that he would not attend, because he was “incapacitated.”
When asked what his client had and how long the disability is, Ortiz simply pointed out “until the doctor says it’s over.”
