The ordinary audience of the process known as PAN-Grains, which takes place in the First Liquidating Court of Criminal Causes of the First Judicial Circuit of Panama, continued on Tuesday, March 11. During this second day, requests were made and extraordinary evidence was admitted.
The judge granted the Public Ministry representative and the private complainant the opportunity to speak on each of the requests presented. In addition, the defenders were asked to present nullity incidents during the pleading phase.
The declaration of guilt or innocence was proceeded for the 45 accused in this case. The hearing took place in the Hearing Room of the Superior Court for the Liquidation of Criminal Causes, continuing with the reading of Mixed Order No. 3 of September 2, 2022, where the accused were called to trial.
During the hearing, the period for presenting extraordinary evidence was opened, and the technical defense lawyers requested the admission of several certifications, mostly from the Court of Accounts. All consulted defendants responded "innocent" to the question regarding the crime of embezzlement.
In this session, general data of some defendants were corrected as established in the Judicial Code. The hearing will resume on Wednesday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. with the presentation of evidence.
The PAN-Grains case originated from a public complaint regarding overcosts in the purchase of rice and legumes during the period 2009-2014 through the defunct PAN. The investigation resulted in more than 90 volumes of documents and evidence. During the first day of the hearing, a plea agreement between Mario Martinelli and the Public Ministry was validated, followed by a conviction sentence issued.
