Civil Society protests sweetheart deal for multi-million embezzler

Embezzled multi-millions, no jail

 
1,091Views 2Comments Posted 06/01/2018

THE JUDGMENT allowing a Ricardo Martinelli confident who stole millions from the State to buy himself out of a four-year jail term has raised the ire of sectors of civil society and widespread condemnation by observers and commentators, and concerns over similar immunity deals for other high profile figures.

Cristóbal Salerno, owner of Cobranzas del Istmo, S.A.,(Cisa was sentenced to 48 months in prison for embezzlement in the collection of the delinquent portfolio of the State, but will not go to prison, because the penalty was replaced with a 500 days fine, at $600 a day or $300,000 in total.

He will also have to return  $20 million he embezzled. [A  local bank worker who stole $5,000, was recently sentenced to six years behind bars]

Freddy Pitti, of the Together We Decide Movement, said the agreement further weakens justice, while Annette Planells, of the Independent Movement (Movin), said that it leaves a bad taste.

The penalty agreement  was validated Friday, January 5 by  First Criminal  Judge  Agueda Renteria,

The agreement agreed with the Anti-Corruption Discharge Office is related to the investigation

of  Salerno following the collection of delinquent taxes from the State through Cisa with an exclusive contract obtained in 2010 with the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF).

"There is no money to compensate for the damage that all these people have done, not only to the treasury but to institutionality, "said Planells.

"It will be years before citizens can regain confidence in our institutions and, even though part of what they stole from us is recovered; We have a justice system that is characterized by favoring the corrupt, it leaves us with a bad taste the fact that it will not pay with jail is a crime,", she added

She said that the punishment agreement resulting from the confession of Salerno was a severe condemnation of the officials who had to watch over the interests of all Panamanians.

"Impunity is the greatest incentive for corruption, we need exemplary punishments for the corrupt to discourage this bad practice that is eating away at our institutions ",

Planells said. that this agreement confirms that society perceives that justice acts selectively when it comes to "white-collar" criminals, such as Salerno, and acts forcefully when it comes to ordinary Panamanians.

"With people who injured the heritage of Panamanians with millions of dollars, justice is very flexible, and that does not help in the task of strengthening the justice system so weakened at this time and with so little credibility, "said Pitti.

He said that justice should not only focus on recovering money but to exert pressure and make this person serve the 48 months of prison without any t possibility of parole  for the crimes he confessed he committed "