Judge converts Raúl De Saint Malo's sentence for community work, Prosecutor appeals
The Judicial Branch reported this afternoon that the Compliance Judge of the First Judicial Circuit of Panama, Héctor A. Zarzavilla Pérez, converted the sentence of 60 months in prison – imposed for the crime of money laundering, on Raúl De Saint Malo – for community work at the Emiliano Ponce Health Center, located in the Calidonia district.
This decision comes after hearing the arguments presented by the defense of De Saint Malo, as well as those of the Public Ministry, considering that they met all the requirements to replace the prison sentence.
The judge also stated that community work will be supervised and in case of non-compliance it will be revoked and he will return to serve the sentence imposed in a penitentiary.
The community work will be carried out in the Department of General Services, of the aforementioned Health Center, every Thursday of each week, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, as a general assistant, until the the defendant completes the term of his sentence of 60 months. In addition, the following conditions were applied: the prohibition of leaving the country, must have good behavior, not carry firearms, not consume alcoholic beverages or drugs and must report on 14th of each month in the Compliance Court of the Province of Panama, the judge reviewed on the community work imposed on Saint Malo.
It should be remembered that this process is related to the Odebrecht case, in which De Saint Malo entered into an effective collaboration agreement with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, being validated by the Twelfth Criminal Circuit Court of Panama, an office that imposed the penalty of 60 months in prison, for the crime of money laundering.
De Saint Malo's lawyer, Dicxiana Lorena Acosta, indicated, in her speech, that she provided evidence such as a certificate of good conduct, the certification of the evaluation by the General Directorate of the Penitentiary System, an approval by the Emiliano Ponce Health Center, and a letter from the wife of the convicted person today, where she offered herself as a home bidder and financial guarantor, to obtain this measure.
It should be noted that the Public Ministry, represented by Prosecutor Anilú Batista Carles, filed an appeal against the measure adopted by the Compliance Judge, and a hearing was scheduled before the Superior Court of Appeals for next August 21, 2020, at 3:30 pm
It should be noted that at the beginning of October 2019, the compliance judge Irma Arosemena had also granted the brother of the former vice president and former chancellor, Isabel De Saint Malo, the replacement of the prison sentence for community work in the Communal Board of Ancón for 960 days, however after the appeal of the Prosecutor's Office on October 10, an Appeals Court revoked the measure and went on to complete the sentence.
The judge also stated that community work will be supervised and in case of non-compliance it will be revoked and he will return to serve the sentence imposed in a penitentiary.
The community work will be carried out in the Department of General Services, of the aforementioned Health Center, every Thursday of each week, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, as a general assistant, until the the defendant completes the term of his sentence of 60 months. In addition, the following conditions were applied: the prohibition of leaving the country, must have good behavior, not carry firearms, not consume alcoholic beverages or drugs and must report on 14th of each month in the Compliance Court of the Province of Panama, the judge reviewed on the community work imposed on Saint Malo.
It should be remembered that this process is related to the Odebrecht case, in which De Saint Malo entered into an effective collaboration agreement with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, being validated by the Twelfth Criminal Circuit Court of Panama, an office that imposed the penalty of 60 months in prison, for the crime of money laundering.
De Saint Malo's lawyer, Dicxiana Lorena Acosta, indicated, in her speech, that she provided evidence such as a certificate of good conduct, the certification of the evaluation by the General Directorate of the Penitentiary System, an approval by the Emiliano Ponce Health Center, and a letter from the wife of the convicted person today, where she offered herself as a home bidder and financial guarantor, to obtain this measure.
It should be noted that the Public Ministry, represented by Prosecutor Anilú Batista Carles, filed an appeal against the measure adopted by the Compliance Judge, and a hearing was scheduled before the Superior Court of Appeals for next August 21, 2020, at 3:30 pm
It should be noted that at the beginning of October 2019, the compliance judge Irma Arosemena had also granted the brother of the former vice president and former chancellor, Isabel De Saint Malo, the replacement of the prison sentence for community work in the Communal Board of Ancón for 960 days, however after the appeal of the Prosecutor's Office on October 10, an Appeals Court revoked the measure and went on to complete the sentence.