A Panamanian court has closed the evidentiary phase of the massive Odebrecht corruption trial. Judge Baloisa Marquinez of the First Liquidator of Criminal Cases Court announced the move on Friday, February 27, starting the clock on a final verdict for 21 defendants, including former President Ricardo Martinelli.
The judge stated she will use the full period allowed by law, slightly more than 30 days, to issue a ruling due to the case’s immense volume. Her decision will conclude one of the most significant judicial proceedings in Panama’s recent history, stemming from a regional bribery scandal.
“The tribunal is taking the term provided by law and it will be a little more than 30 days as the Code permits, also allowed due to the volume of the process,” Judge Marquinez said. [Translated from Spanish] “This means that, once the corresponding sentence is issued, all parties will be duly notified. I reiterate, all incidents that have been raised will be resolved in the sentencing resolution that the court must issue.”
All parties will be formally notified once the written verdict is ready. The ruling will address every motion and argument presented during the lengthy trial.
Prosecution Seeks Convictions for Money Laundering
The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office requested money laundering convictions for 16 individuals. It sought acquittal for five others. The list of those the prosecution wants convicted includes former Public Works Minister Federico Suarez, former Housing Minister Carlos Duboy, and banker Juan Antonio Niño.
Also named were former ministers Demetrio Papadimitriu and Frank De Lima, alongside ex-president Ricardo Martinelli. The prosecution asked the court to absolve defendants Aurora Muradas, Jaume Pamies Dolade, Navin Bhakta, Michelle Lasso, and Rosa Mary Molino.
Defense lawyers universally argued their clients committed no crime. They contended prosecutors failed to prove the illicit origin of funds or the prior knowledge required for a money laundering conviction.
Civil Claim and Final Defense Arguments
The State, acting as a plaintiff through the Ministry of Security, filed for financial restitution for seven people. It requested acquittal for six others. The state’s lawyer supported the five acquittals sought by prosecutors and also asked for banker Juan Antonio Niño to be cleared.
During the final session, the defense for former President Martinelli focused on legal technicalities. Lawyer Carlos Carrillo requested his client’s full acquittal and the lifting of all precautionary measures.
“We ask for the acquittal of Mr. Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal of the charges brought against him by the indictment issued by your office,” Carrillo argued. [Translated from Spanish] “We request that the civil action be rejected and that the precautionary measures that have been imposed be lifted.”
The trial’s closure starts the final deliberation stage. The case is built on the Brazilian construction company’s own admission it paid over $59 million in bribes to Panamanian officials and political operatives.
Those payments occurred between 2009 and 2014 to secure lucrative public contracts. The scheme is part of the wider Odebrecht scandal that unraveled across Latin America.
Judge Marquinez’s impending verdict will determine the legal outcome of a case that has captivated national and international observers for years. It represents Panama’s primary judicial reckoning with a corruption network that compromised high levels of government.