NINETEEN former officials of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and the Office of the Comptroller General have re suspects  in the  alleged  overcharge  of $60.5 million in the rehabilitation and expansion of the Arraiján-La Chorrera highway, contract awarded in 2010 to Transcaribe Trading, S.A. (TCT).

The three most prominent people under investigation are former MOP  Ministers Federico Suárez and Jaime Ford, as well as Daniel Ochy, legal representative of TCT. All three are in detention in the El Renacer prison

Anti-corruption prosecutors  have also tied  the case to 13 former MOP officials. “linked by the inconsistencies and irregularities in the performance of the contract ".

In addition, they are accused of "signing, approving and processing accounts presented to execute the contract" to six ex-officials of the Comptroller General’s office which, at the time was headed by a now deceased former employee of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli.