A PANAMA Supreme Court Judge acting as prosecutor in an shares  trading   investigation of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, traveled to Canada to get assistance from Canadian judicial authorities.

Hernán De León, acting as prosecutor, is seeking to determine whether Martinelli used privileged (insider) information to acquire shares of the  Canadian mining company Petaquilla Gold at low prices and then sell them for double and triple what he paid.

De León was met by Janet Henchy, Director General and Legal Adviser of the  International Judicial Criminal Law Assistance Group of  Canada’s Department of Justice and the counselor Jacqueline Beckless, of the Judicial Branch.

Panama’s request for judicial assistance information was:  "In order to clarify the facts t investigated by  De León ... In addition, the Canadian authorities stated that they have the availability to respond and offered  the collaboration and support needed in research," says a court statement.

The full Supreme Court admitted the case on September 23, after the Superintendency of the Securities Market compiled copies of the administrative process for the purchase and sale of shares of Petaquilla Gold, a  Canadian company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. (TSE).  Luis Mario Carrasco is the judge of guarantees in the case.

Martinelli has been detained awaiting extradition to Panama, for another case - unauthorized interception of communications by the National Security Council in the last two years of his mandate.

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