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Judi Lynn

(160,219 posts)
Mon May 18, 2015, 02:55 PM May 2015

Former Panamanian economy minister arrested in corruption probe

Former Panamanian economy minister arrested in corruption probe
By AFP May 12, 2015

A former Panamanian finance minister has been placed under arrest as part of a probe into alleged corruption under former president Ricardo Martinelli, his lawyers said Tuesday.

. . .

Martinelli, who was president from 2009 to 2014, also is under investigation by Panama's Supreme Court in connection with alleged overbilling in a separate $45 million PAN contract for dehydrated foods distributed to public schools.

Martinelli, who has been out of the country since January, claims the allegations against his administration are politically motivated. "This is "political persecution for criticizing the horrible government that we have," Martinelli said in a Twitter posting.

As economy and finance minister, De Lima made budget allocations that funded the program, but Rey said his client was not responsible for awarding PAN contracts. He is the second member of Martinelli's cabinet to be arrested in the corruption scandal, following the jailing of former social development minister Guillermo Ferrufino on March 4. Two former directors of the program also are under arrest on charges of malfeasance.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/former-panamanian-economy-minister-arrested-in-corruption-probe/article/433130#ixzz3aWA1r7GY

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Frank De Lima[/center]

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