The Superior Court of Appeals of the First Judicial District, composed of judges José Israel Correa, Naida Cáceres and Raúl Leonel Urriola Caballero, revoked the precautionary measure of provisional detention imposed by a judge of guarantees to a 43-year-old citizen, who was arrested in the investigation known as “Operation Garra”, for the alleged commission of financial crimes. Instead, the precautionary measure of house arrest has been imposed.
Meanwhile, another defendant in the same criminal case was prohibited from playing professional football and was given precautionary measures to report periodically to the Public Prosecutor’s Office on the 15th and 30th of each month, and was prohibited from leaving the country and from communicating with people involved in the case.
The Magistrates of the High Court of Appeals, after hearing the parties involved, assessed the indications of connection that remain in the case under investigation and the procedural risk of danger to the community; highlighting that the crime for which the citizens are being investigated does not have a minimum sentence of 4 years, and no exceptions were alleged that would allow maintaining provisional detention.
During the appeal hearing, the Public Prosecutor’s Office was represented by prosecutor Reinier Rivas, while the defense was represented by two private attorneys. The complaint was filed by attorney Eduardo Guevara.
This criminal process began on July 6, 2023, when the Panamanian Football Federation reported alleged match-fixing, which gave rise to “Operation Garra.”
