Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 11, 2019 Moderators Share Posted April 11, 2019 Quote Ex-Ombudsman facing embezzlement trial Patria Portugal Posted 10/04/2019 The Anticorruption prosecutor Javier Miter Burgos has requested a call to trial Panama’s former Ombudsman Patria Portugal for alleged embezzlement in the execution of two advertising contracts while holding the post. During the preliminary hearing of the trial,in the Eighth Criminal Court, the prosecutor argued that the investigation was credited the connection of Portugal with the alleged commission of the crime of embezzlement for a contract that she signed as head of the entity with the company Imaginarium Studio, SA, for an amount of $249, 845 and a second for training for $199, 983, given to the company En Avant, SA According to Miter, the requirements that had to be met to redesign the website that applies to government entities were not fulfilled in this contract. In addition, officials of the entity declared that they could carry out the work, for which reason the hiring was unnecessary. Portugal was separated from her position by the Supreme Court on August 5, 2013 Two complaints were lodged against Portugal, one promoted by Abigail Benzadón, then head of the National Authority of Transparency and Access to Information, and another by lawyer José Antonio Moncada. The eighth criminal judge Leira Terán decided to accumulate both complaints, considering that they dealt with the same facts and therefore could be processed in a single file. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/ex-ombudsman-facing-embezzlement-trial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 24, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted April 24, 2019 Quote Trial date for ex-ombudswoman Posted 23/04/2019 The embezzlement trial of former ombudswoman Patria Portugal has been set for May 28 The alternate date is July 9. She has accused of the irregular hiring of two consultancies for the entity under her administration. Prosecutor Javier Miter Burgos says that Portugal is linked to the crime of embezzlement for a contract to redesign the website of the Ombudsman's Office for $249,845. Another “irregular” contract was made with the mother of the legal representative of the company for $199,983 for the training of officials. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/trial-date-for-ex-ombudswoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted August 4, 2020 Author Moderators Share Posted August 4, 2020 Quote Ex-ombudsman gets 8 years for embezzlement Posted 03/08/2020 Panama former Ombudsman, Patria Portugal, was sentenced on Monday to eight years jail time for embezzlement, to the detriment of the Ombudsman's Office. She is also disqualified from exercising public functions for four years after serving the prison sentence. The decision was handed down by Judge , Leira Terán Turcios. The former defender had been accused of signing two contracts, one for $249,845 with the company Imaginarium Studio, SA for the redesign of the institution's website and the other for $199,983 with the company En Avant, SA,for training. The Prosecutor General's Office stated that the requirements of institution’sweb pages were not complied with and that the contracts were unnecessary. Portugal was removed from office on August 5, 2013 https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/ex-ombudsman-gets-8-years-for-embezzlement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted April 10, 2021 Author Moderators Share Posted April 10, 2021 Quote Court confirms 8-year jail term for former ombudsman Patria Portugal Posted 09/04/2021 The Second Superior Court confirmed the sentence to eight years in prison imposed on May 25, 2020 by the then Eighth Criminal Court to the former Ombudsman Patria Portugal for the crime of embezzlement. The decision of the Second Court - issued by order No. 16 of March 12, 2021 - also ratifies the accessory penalty of disqualification for 48 months from the exercise of public functions once the prison sentence has been served. The investigations of the case, carried out by the Discharge Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office, are related to two contracts that Portugal signed as Ombudsman (April 2011-July 2013), one of them with the company Imaginarium Studio, SA, for an amount of $249,845for the redesign of the entity's ebsite, and the other for $199,983, for training, awarded to the company En Avant, SA The case came to light as a result of a journalistic investigation by La Prensa. Consequently, the then head of the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information, Abigail Benzadón, and the lawyer José Antonio Moncada filed a complaint with the Public Ministry. The complaints were accumulated in a single process. According to the prosecution, the requirements that had to be met for the redesign of the website, applied to government entities, were not met in this contract. In addition, officials of the entity declared that they could carry out the work, for which the hiring was unnecessary. In August 2013, the National Assembly removed Portugal from officeand the Assembly's Credentials Committee recommended that Portugal be removed from office for having incurred the cause of notorious negligence in the performance of its functions, and for having lost the confidence of the Legislative Branch. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/court-confirms-8-year-jail-term-for-former-ombudsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 14, 2022 Moderators Share Posted September 14, 2022 Quote 8-years jail sentence confirmed for former Ombudsman Patria Portugal Posted 13/09/2022 The Supreme Court of Justice has confirmed the sentence of 8 years in prison for Patria Portugal, for the crime of embezzlement, to the detriment of the Ombudsman's Office. In August 2020, the former Ombudsman (for the period from April 2011 to August 2013) was found guilty of the crime against the Public Administration in the form of embezzlement to the detriment of this institution. In addition, the Eighth Criminal Circuit Court established her disqualification from public functions for four years once she has served the main sentence. Portugal was dismissed by the National Assembly in August 2013 for alleged irregularities in direct contracts made by the Ombudsman with two companies for $200,000 and $250,000, for an image change consultancy, and for the development of the institution's website. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/8-years-jail-sentence-confirmed-for-former-ombudsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted June 21, 2023 Moderators Share Posted June 21, 2023 Quote Former Ombudsman begins eight-year prison sentence Posted 20/06/2023 Former Ombudsman Patricia Portugal spent her first night of an eight-year sentence behind bars on Tuesday, June 20, after the Office of the Attorney General made effective the conviction of in Plaza Ágora after completing a hearing. She had been sentenced for aggravated embezzlement. "At the request of the Compliance Section of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the conviction against Patria Portugal Ombudsman, which occurred in 2012, is effective." The entity reported on social networks. Officers of the National Directorate of Judicial Investigation arrested the former official after the completion of a hearing requested by the Prosecutor's Office. Portugal had been accused of signing two contracts, one for $249,845 and another for $199,983, with companies to redesign the institution's website. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/former-ombudsman-begins-eight-year-prison-sentence-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 30, 2023 Moderators Share Posted September 30, 2023 Quote Judge rejects ex-ombudsman’s house arrest request Patria Portugal - Ex Ombudsman Posted 29/09/2023 The compliance judge, José Ángel Carrera, denied a request for house arrest to the former Ombudsman, Patria Portugal, sentenced to eight years in jail for embezzlement. The compliance judge denied the request considering it not viable, during a hearing held at the facilities of the Plaza Ágora Accusatory Penal System. Portugal, who is sentenced for the crime of embezzlement, requested that she be allowed to serve her sentence under house arrest, but Judge Carrera considered that the detainee does not have a scientifically proven serious illness that would prevent her from serving her sentence in a penitentiary center. Following the judge's decision, lawyer Ariel Nuñez Gómez, who represented Portugal, announced an appeal, which will be heard on October 6 in the Superior Court of Appeals. The judicial process against Portugal is related to two contracts that the former official signed as Ombudsman (April 2011-July 2013). One of them with the company Imaginarium Studio, SA, for an amount of $249,845, for the redesign of the entity's website, and another for $199,983, for training, awarded to the company En Avant, SA. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/judge-rejects-ex-ombudsmans-house-arrest-request Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted February 24 Moderators Share Posted February 24 Quote Former Ombudsman exchanges house arrest for prison cell Patria Portugal. Posted 23/02/2024 The house arrest of Panama’s former ombudsman Patria Portugal has been revoked and she must enter prison after her house arrest was revoked reported the Attorney General’s Office on Friday, February 24. In a compliance hearing, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office managed to have the measure revoked for Portugal, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for the crime of aggravated embezzlement to the detriment of the Ombudsman's Office. On October 7, 2023, the Superior Court of Appeals applied a four-month house arrest sentence to Portugal. That time was granted for officials from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences to examine Portugal. After the end of that period, a hearing had to be held to determine her entry into prison or to stay in house arrest. The judge ordered Portugal's immediate entry into a prison. The former official's defense filed an appeal against Judge Adames' decision and a hearing was scheduled for next Thursday, February 29, at the Superior Court of Appeals. The sentence against Portugal is related to two contracts that the former official signed as Ombudsman (April 2011-July 2013). One of them with the company Imaginarium Studio, SA, for an amount of $249,845, for the redesign of the entity's website, and another for $199,983, for training, awarded to the company En Avant, SA https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/former-ombudsman-exchanges-house-arrest-for-prison-cell-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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