Lawyer Calls Odebrecht Witness Situation 'Absurd'

A lawyer described the situation as "ridiculous and absurd," stating, "It is ridiculous and absurd to reach the country's most important audience to tell the judge that the witness could not be located." Judge Marquínez set a schedule for testimonial and expert hearings, with the attendance of three witnesses per day without a fixed schedule; all must be present from 8:30 a.m. Anyone who fails to comply with this rule will be classified by the Court as "not presented." The lawyer finds it "too much of a coincidence" that most of the prosecution's witnesses did not attend the hearing and their only justification was that they could not locate them. Furthermore, a person whose face is unknown was allowed to make an accusation. "If the judge was not in front of the witness when he spoke, and the defense cannot cross-examine him, obviously it cannot be taken into account," he told Panamá América. This opinion is supported by Ángel Álvarez, who points out that protected witnesses are part of a secret, opaque justice that should not be embedded in the Panamanian justice system. The inconsistencies that have arisen in locating the protected witness in the Odebrecht case demonstrate that the prosecution is not taking the trial with the seriousness it requires, as its main support is hindering the work of the defense and, consequently, the due process against all those involved. The defense of former President Ricardo Martinelli hopes that the judge will invalidate these testimonies, since they have not been able to exercise their role as they should, and establishes the regulations for a fair, transparent, and equitable trial for all involved. He recalled that this is not a fortuitous situation; it had already happened in the New Business case, therefore, the MP should already be prepared not to affect the development of the hearing and the guarantees of the supposed involved. Hearing The hearing for the Odebrecht case yesterday, Tuesday, reached day 13 with no major advances, because witness Juan Cejudo Peña, despite being at the Panamanian embassy in Spain, from where he would give his statement, could not do so because the official on duty did not have the necessary authorization to certify that the person in the premises was the one requested by the judicial authorities. Therefore, his appearance was postponed to this Wednesday along with 4 other witnesses. Vallarino mentioned that "the dangerous thing" about this type of action is that the judge might consider the statement of a witness who has not been subjected to cross-examination, an opportunity to find out if what was said is true or false and to which all parties have the right. He added that those who hide their faces are "perhaps more criminal than those they mention and give wide space to the corruption they say they pursue." Lawyer Alfredo Vallarino cannot believe that the prosecution does not have the phone number, email, or address of one of its witnesses, when his attendance was confirmed months ago, and without more, he appears before Judge Baloísa Marquínez, alleging that he could not locate him. Arguments Once this phase is expected to conclude next Tuesday, February 11, the arguments stage will begin, led by the Public Ministry; the judge determined that all speakers will have up to 1 hour to argue.