U.S. prosecutors urge judge to deny former Panama President extradition
Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:09pm GMT
By Zachary Fagenson
MIAMI (Reuters) - U.S. federal prosecutors on Tuesday urged a judge not to allow former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli to go free on bond as he fights extradition to his home country, saying he is a flight risk.
Attorneys for Martinelli, who has denied Panamanian prosecutors' accusation that he used public money to spy on more than 150 political rivals during his 2009-14 term, said he has lived openly in the United States for the past two years and has no plans to flee.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres said he is likely to decide within a week whether to release Martinelli, 65, who is being held in federal detention in Miami at the request of the Panamanian government.
U.S. prosecutors have said they are fulfilling a treaty obligation with Panama in requesting that Martinelli, who was arrested on June 12, continue to be held.
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Ricardo Martinelli and Trump at Trump's Panama hotel
