MARIO MARTINELLI, brother of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli has been placed under house arrest and banned from leaving Panama
The order came from the Second Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Vielka Broce. who is investigating him for alleged irregularities in the purchase of

 backpacks.
Martinelli was questioned Friday at his home in Costa del Este, because of reported health problems although he had been seen at business meeting in Panama City earlier in the week, staff from the government Forensic Medicine Ceter During his interrogation. The investigation will continue next week.

The inquiry began early in the morning and lasted until 8 pm.
Pablo Ruiz Obregón, taken in prentive detention, said onJuly 8 that Mario Martinelli was the one who "took action" and made "all efforts" for the two contracts of sale of school bags.
He said that in his capacity as owner and majority shareholder of the companies Hialing Corporation and Vafepa, SA, Mario Martinelli invested money, took decisions and made all the arrangements for the two contracts for the sale of school bags for a total of $5.3 million, paid for with money from The National Assistance program (PAN), reports La Prensa.
"He [Martinelli] was the majority owner of both companies. He was the person who directed groups and he was the one who made the decisions, "he said.
In an audit report prepared by the Comptroller, embezzlement of $14.2 million for the purchase of 600,000 backpacks through the PAN was determined.
"I am innocent," said Mario Martinelli on July 31 when he went to the Forensic Center for evaluation, . "I think they are doing the work of the La Prensa newspaper”