Judge Baloisa Marquinez, headed the criminal proceedings for the New Business case, in which former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli was accused.

Panama City, Jun 26 (RHC) Panama's Second Court of Criminal Cases begins Monday the hearing of 32 people charged with money laundering in the case of the Brazilian Lava Jato operation, which was suspended last May.

According to the official report, until July 7, the hearing will be led by Judge Baloisa Marquínez, the same judge who headed the criminal process for the New Business case, in which former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) was accused.

The hearing will be attended by nine private technical defenders, and in case of absence of any of them, seven alternate public defenders were appointed, to guarantee that right.

The process links more than thirty citizens for the alleged crime of money laundering, among them the founders of the extinct law firm Mossak Fonseca, Ramón Fonseca, and Jürgen Mossack.

This case, a 293-volume dossier, is related to an investigation that began in 2016, as a result of journalistic reports, originating in the Lava Jato operation in Brazil, which linked a law office in Panama with the creation of corporations, whose purpose was the mobilization of illegal funds.

For its part, the Public Prosecutor's Office pointed out that it is now better prepared for the ordinary hearing and has all the evidentiary elements that prove the punishable act.

The prosecution even recorded the role played by María Mercedes Riaño, a former employee of Mossack Fonseca in Brazil who allegedly created offshore companies that are linked to other companies investigated in that country for committing these financial crimes.

The Lava Jato case involved the extinct law firm Mossack Fonseca, the epicenter of the Panama Papers scandal.

The firm Mossack Fonseca announced on March 14, 20,18 the total closure of its worldwide operations, as well as the liquidation of employees. (Source: PL)