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Panama judge orders pre-trial detention of former President Martinelli

By Thomson Reuters Feb 22, 2024 | 4:42 PM

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – A Panamanian judge has ordered the pre-trial detention of former President Ricardo Martinelli, who is hiding from authorities in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City after receiving asylum from the neighboring nation.

Martinelli is facing a nearly 11-year prison sentence on a 2023 money-laundering conviction. The order for his capture on Thursday is in relation to the same case, known as “New Business,” Panama’s top court said in a statement.

(Reporting by Elida Moreno; Editing by Kylie Madry)