RAFAEL GUARDIA JAÉN, former director of the National Assistance Program (PAN), and  three others are  facing a criminal trial in the 15^th Criminal Court  over  the purchase of tires at inflated prices by the agency.

Guardia Jaen, Charles Sadat Bonilla Ojeda, Edwin Miguel Serracín Pineda and Ana Victoria Andrión Mejía, are charged with offences against public administration, embezzlement and corruption of public servants.

A preliminary hearing was held Oct. 9. During that hearing, Third Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Zuleyka Moore noted that an audit by the comptroller determined that the government spent $110,000 too much on the tires.

On Thursday Oct. 22 Judge Leslie Loaiza  ordered Bonilla and Guardia Jaén to remain in custody.  Serracín Pineda and Andrión Mejia will remain free but are not  allowed to leave the country.

Charles Sadat Bonilla Ojeda owned Free Port Pty, which sold the tires to the PAN for $164,000. They had been purchased from another company for $54,000.

Serracín Pineda and Andrión Mejia were PAN officials who approved the purchase.