PANAMA’S  15th Criminal Court rejected an appeal from lawyers of fugitive  Adolfo "Chichi" de Obarrio, the private secretary and message carrier of former President Ricardo Martinelli, to be present for interviews being conducted in connection with a corruption investigation.

De Obarrio, who is at large, and subject to an Interpol alert, is accused of embezzlement in connection with contracts issued by the National Aid Program (PAN) for the purchase of dehydrated food.

Judge, Leslie Loaiza rejected the motion, saying a decision on the matter had already been made and no new evidence was presented.

Defense attorneys had sought to be present for the interviews of witnesses by prosecutors in the case. But the judge rules that only defense lawyers of the witnesses themselves would be allowed at the interviews.

Obbario has been identified by former directors of the Nartional Assistance Program (PAN) as the person who delivered purchasing instructions from Martinelli in cases bow involved in coruption investigations. He left the country on Christmas Day last year. He gained earlier fame/notoriety earlier with an extravagent wedding reported to have cost $750,000 while he was earning $5,000 a month.