The life of a protected witness in the wiretapping trial of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli is in danger, and the prosecutor has been threatened, the judge of guarantees was told on Monday, August 6.

Carlos Carrillo the leader of the defense lawyers has been warned not to reveal to Martinelli information in seven books containing transcripts of illicit recordings. Carrillo,  was authorized on Monday, August  6 by the judge of guarantees, Jerónimo Mejía, to access the books from Tuesday.

Mejía asked Carrillo to present on August 23 - when the hearing resumes, after the vacation of prosecutor Harry Diaz - a report of the possible objections to the evidence contained in the books, which have been kept in reserve during the hearing.

Leak warning
Mejía also reminded the lawyer that, by leaking information related to the books he will be responsible. He recommended not giving details to Martinelli, to avoid disclosure  any comments about wiretap victims through handwritten letters “like the ones you have presented to the media in the hearings.”

The majority of Monday’s six-hour session focused on the admission or not of two protected witnesses, as well as the participation of experts Luis Enrique Rivera Calles and Gustavo Adolfo Scott Valdés.

The defense asked not to admit as unlawful and inconclusive a testimonial test presented by prosecuting judge, Harry Díaz, contained on a compact disc (in which a distorted voice is heard), and classified under the name of " protected witness 2 ".

Martinelli lawyer Sitton also requested that the judge order the prosecution to reveal the general data of protected witnesses.

Prosecutor threatened
Diaz defended not revealing the identity of the witness, due to the series of threats that even he has received.

He said  that he received warnings that if Cambio Democrático (CD)  party wins the  2019 elections  “I should leave the country.”

According to Díaz, "the life of the protected witness is in danger." "I do not want another case like Vernon Ramos," he warned

The prosecutor promised that in the trial phase he will present the protected witnesses, who  he described as "a fundamental test in the theory of the prosecution on the case."

Experts opposed
The defense also opposed the presentation of the experts Rivera Calles and Scott Valdés as they were not duly introduced in the indictment.

Rivera Calles is an expert in the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (Imelcf), who participated in the ocular inspection of computers and hard disks.

Scott Valdés belongs to the Analysis, Statistics and Dissemination Unit of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ)

Mejia  said that he will rule at the end of this phase on the admission or not of  protected witnesses and experts