THE LONG anticipated  request for the extradition  of former Panama president Ricardo Martinelli is finally on its way from the Supreme Court (CSJ) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It comes in the same week that the court has been asked to assist Swiss prosecutors to assist in an investigation of his links to Odebrecht

The request originated  in  The general secretariat of the Court as part of the investigation into the interception of communications through the National Security Council.

Martinelli skipped  Panama on January 28, 2015. His lawyers have said they have his  current address in Miami, and  La Prensa located him in a beachfront apartment in the exclusive Brickell Avenue area.

Newsroom has published photos of him at a Starbucks outlet with his spokesman  Eduardo  Camacho,  and sitting with friends at a high end restaurant. He has also purchased a Lexus during his self imposed exile.

The plenary of the Supreme Court ordered the provisional arrest of the former leader, since he has not appeared personally to the process followed by the interception of communications.

on December 11, Judge Jerome Mejia held Martinelli in "rebellion” for failing to appear in  court for a preliminary hearing.