Martinelli: Due Process Violation Makes Trial Invalid

Former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli, who declared himself innocent and not responsible for money laundering charges in the Odebrecht case, urged that the law be upheld and due process guaranteed. Martinelli stated that if defense attorneys are unable to re-examine the accusers, it constitutes a clear violation of due process, and therefore the trial should not be valid under these circumstances. Meanwhile, attorney Carlos Carrillo indicated that Martinelli's defense is concerned about the violation of minimum procedural principles that guarantee the right to a defense. 'As the laws state, one must always be allowed to re-examine witnesses; without this, due process would be violated,' he expressed. He added that they will exhaust all legal resources against the acts they consider questionable within the process. The attorney questioned how a defense can represent a client if it cannot examine the evidence presented against them. Regarding the in-camera sessions held prior to the trial, Carrillo stated that he respects the criteria of the judge, Baloisa Marquínez, and the request of other attorneys, nevertheless, he lamented that these were held before the hearing began, which contributed to delays in the process. According to the former head of state, all accusations against him date back to 2008, when he was not yet president of the Republic.