A merchant of Chinese origin was sentenced to a fine of B/.1,200.00 under a plea agreement after being found guilty of falsifying official documents from the Meritorious Fire Corps of the Republic of Panama (BCBRP).
During the hearing in the Accusatory Penal System (SPA) of West Panama, the Public Ministry (MP) presented evidence that the defendant falsified seals, certifications, and hermeticity tests from the BCBRP to operate a laundry in a shopping center in the district of Arraiján.
The BCBRP's legal defense requested the application of 48 months in prison and the disqualification of the premises for a year. However, both the defendant's defense and the BCBRP's defense accepted Article 220 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which governs plea agreements.
The Guarantees Judge sentenced the merchant to pay a fine of three dollars a day for 500 days, equivalent to B/.1,200.00, to be paid within a period of eight months.
The complaint in this falsification case was filed in 2024 by the general director of the BCBRP, Víctor Raúl Álvarez Villalobos, who emphasized that safety permits are not an administrative procedure but a vital mechanism to protect human lives.
Álvarez Villalobos warned that the falsification of technical documents puts the population at risk, especially in places with gas systems and industrial equipment.
Between 2018 and 2025, Panama recorded 11 emergencies due to gas leaks, with loss of life and permanent injuries.
