Judge Keila Martinez declared the apprehension of Bartolo Encarnación Guante, known as Barto from the podcast 'Flow la Música', and three other people illegal. They were accused of money laundering against the Caja de Ahorros. Barto's lawyer, Víctor Orobio, stated that his client was handcuffed and his house was searched without necessity, as Barto would have come in for questioning regarding a small sum of money received from a relative. The Prosecutor's Office, however, claimed that the suspects had moved the funds received from the fraud to other banks. In this sense, the judge sided with Orobio, pointing out that Barto could have been contacted, as it was a 2019 case. She also stated that the prosecutor, Elías Murillo, failed to demonstrate the need and proportionality of the apprehension. Orobio emphasized that his client 'did not participate in the signing of any documents, had no knowledge of the transactions, is not the owner or shareholder of the property, did not receive money from the bank, and did not contact any bank agent'.
Judge Rules Detention of Podcaster Barto in Panama Illegal
A judge overturned the detention order for a well-known podcaster, ruling the authorities' actions were unjustified. The lawyer insists his client is innocent and had no involvement in the fraud.
