A Panamanian court has definitively dismissed corruption charges against 185 individuals linked to a high-profile public transportation scandal. The Superior Court for the Settlement of Criminal Cases of the First Judicial District confirmed the acquittal ruling on Tuesday, January 27, ending a years-long legal saga known locally as the “ATTT case.”
The decision finalizes a lower court’s verdict from August 2025, which found insufficient evidence of a criminal conspiracy to defraud the state. All defendants were cleared of charges related to alleged peculation against the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT).
Court Affirms Lower Court’s Ruling on Lack of Evidence
The appellate tribunal, composed of magistrates José Hoo Justiniani, Eyda Amarilis Juárez, and Manuel Mata Avendaño, unanimously upheld the earlier sentence. They concluded the initial court’s evaluation of evidence was legally sound and respected principles of due process. Their review centered on a massive case file containing 717 volumes.
“The assessment of the evidence was correct, in accordance with the law, and respectful of the principles of legality, due process, and the minimal intervention of criminal law,” the magistrates stated in their ruling. [Translated from Spanish]
This case stemmed from the “Administrative Rescue of the Collective Public Passenger Transportation System” program in Panama and San Miguelito districts. The public widely referred to the investigation as the “diablos rojos” / Red Devils case, named after the country’s former iconic red buses.
Prosecution Itself Sought Dismissal for Key Officials
A pivotal factor in the original acquittal was the position of the Public Ministry of Panama. Prosecutors from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office themselves requested the dismissal of charges against former ATTT directors. They found no evidence linking Jorge Ricardo Fábrega, Juan Pablo Mora, Roberto Moreno Olivares, and Ventura Euribiades Vega to a criminal structure.
The trial court reasoned that if criminal responsibility could not be established for the entity’s top leaders, pursuing charges against subordinates, transporters, or private individuals was not legally viable. The court attributed irregularities in the compensation program to administrative and supervisory failures, not fraudulent intent.
The legal proceedings were notably complex. Two prosecuting lawyers, 88 private defenders, and six public defenders participated in the trial, representing the large group of defendants.
This final ruling from the Judicial Branch of Panama closes a major chapter in a case that captured national attention for its scale. It addressed long-standing public concerns over the management and reform of Panama City’s chaotic transit system. The decision underscores the high burden of proof required for complex conspiracy charges, especially when the lead investigative agency withdraws its accusations against primary suspects.