The ex-president Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, will face a hearing this Thursday for the “New Business” case, a judicial process in which the Superior Specialized Prosecutor’s Office Against Organized Crime is tracking the purchase of Editora Panamá América, SA in 2010 with money supposedly of the State.
Martinelli is one of the 25 people for whom prosecutor Emeldo Márquez requested trial.
The former president tried to evade the case arguing that he is protected by the specialty principle set forth in the extradition treaty between Panama and the United States, but this country has said that “Panama is free to take Mr. Martinelli to trial without obtaining an exception from the United States. to the specialty rule.
The hearing will take place at the headquarters of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino), in Amador, and is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
This will be the second attempt by the Third Liquidator Court for Criminal Cases to finalize the procedure, since it was originally scheduled for November 12, 2021, but was suspended, due to “various requests” from several of the private defenders. So, it was decided that it would be done on the alternate date: from January 27 to 31, 2022.
For this case, Judge Baloisa Marquínez must analyze 164 volumes. Emeldo Márquez, the prosecutor in the case, requested trial for 25 people and dismissal for another nine. One of those linked is former President Ricardo Martinelli, who is prevented from leaving the country for this case.
