RICCARDO FRANCOLINI, former chair of the board of the government Savings Bank (CA) during the last government, looks set to spend Christmas behind bars.

He is currently detained as part of the investigation of the $9 million loan granted for the alleged construction of a convention center in Amador.

An appeal by his defense lawyers against the continuance of the investigation was turned down  by the 10^th Criminal Court   on December  2  with a statement:”It has not been proven in court records that procedural or constitutional norms have been violated…Francolini was duly represented by the lawyer Aníbal Salas and it is not evident That due process has been violated.”

Francolini has been detained preventively since last October 12 at the headquarters of The National Police in Ancon.