This Saturday, a hearing for the imputation of charges, legalization of apprehension, and precautionary measures was held at the Accusatory Penal System (SPA) of Santiago against Edisa Batista, who, during the administration of Juan Carlos Varela, served as a legal advisor to the National Council for Sustainable Development (CONADES).
According to the information presented in the judicial proceeding, Batista has extensive experience in the public sector and has held positions in various state institutions. According to the accused's father, lawyer Miguel Batista, the raid carried out last Friday at his daughter's residence in the capital city was "not carried out in the best way," ensuring that the apprehension occurred under circumstances that, in his opinion, were unnecessarily abrupt.
The detainee was transferred to Santiago because the investigated case occurred in the district of Soná, Veraguas province. It was learned that the case is related to the alleged non-compliance with a government project during the Varela administration, whereby an Asian-origin entrepreneur was to build basic sanitation units for several communities.
The contract, valued at around half a million dollars, would not have been executed as agreed. The lawyer for CONADES, Navilla Bravo, pointed to Batista as the presumed responsible for the crime of aggravated embezzlement.
The court set a six-month deadline for the progress of the investigations. During the hearing, Edisa Batista was represented by her brother, lawyer Porfirio Batista, and her father, Miguel Batista, who questioned the manner in which the capture operation was carried out.
The authorities continue to gather information to clarify responsibilities regarding a project that sought to improve the living conditions of homes in vulnerable communities in Veraguas. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, represented by prosecutor Elvis Coronado, presented before guarantee judge Anayansi Vásquez the elements that support the ongoing investigation.
After hearing the arguments of the parties, Judge Vásquez decided to impute the crime of aggravated embezzlement, legalize the apprehension, and order as a precautionary measure that the accused must report on the 30th of each month and may not leave the country.
