Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Panama top court okays corruption probe of ex-president

-

Panama's Supreme Court has authorized an investigation of former president Ricardo Martinelli for alleged corruption while in office from 2009 to 2014.

The court on Thursday ordered the probe to proceed after the country's electoral tribunal earlier this month lifted Martinelli's immunity from prosecution.

Currently a member of the Central American parliament, Martinelli is accused of a scheme in which $45 million dollars were skimmed from inflated contracts to supply the country's schools with dehydrated food.

Two jailed directors of the national aid program that financed the purchases have alleged that Martinelli forced them to sign the contracts.

Several former ministers and officials have been arrested or are under investigation for alleged corruption and illicit enrichment in the case.

Panama’s Supreme Court has authorized an investigation of former president Ricardo Martinelli for alleged corruption while in office from 2009 to 2014.

The court on Thursday ordered the probe to proceed after the country’s electoral tribunal earlier this month lifted Martinelli’s immunity from prosecution.

Currently a member of the Central American parliament, Martinelli is accused of a scheme in which $45 million dollars were skimmed from inflated contracts to supply the country’s schools with dehydrated food.

Two jailed directors of the national aid program that financed the purchases have alleged that Martinelli forced them to sign the contracts.

Several former ministers and officials have been arrested or are under investigation for alleged corruption and illicit enrichment in the case.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

World

Calling for urgent action is the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Business

The cathedral is on track to reopen on December 8 - Copyright AFP Ludovic MARINParis’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, ravaged by fire in 2019, is on...

Business

Saudi Aramco President & CEO Amin Nasser speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas - Copyright AFP Mark FelixPointing to the still...

Business

Hyundai on Wednesday revealed plans to invest more than $50 billion in South Korea by 2026.