judicial

Financial unit denies wrongdoing

Public Ministry officials claim a financial report on David Murcia’s accounts at Multibank were withheld.

la prensa

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The Financial Analysis Unit denied that it withheld information on suspicious transactions made by Colombian businessman David Murcia Guzmán and his wife, Joanne León, via their accounts at Multibank during the last two years.

The country’s banking laws require that the agency report any anomalies to the Public Ministry as soon as they are detected. Public prosecutors indicated, however, that they were unaware of the Murcia report until five days after he was arrested and deported to Colombia on money laundering charges.

Murcia was arrested Nov. 19 but financial reports from the agency arrived to the Ministry Public on Nov. 24. At that moment, Public Ministry officials discovered that Multibank had closed four of the couple’s accounts in November and December of last year. According to the report, some $1.2 million was transferred to Murcia’s accounts from a company linked to the Norte del Valle drug cartel in Colombia.

Financial law also stipulates that the agency assist authorities by providing any information which may assist in criminal investigations or administrative functions.

Director of the Financial Analysis Unit Amado Barahona insists that his office fulfilled its duties in a timely manner and in now way violated the law.

“Procedures were followed as it is done with all the cases that reach the unit,” he added.

Moreover, Barahona suggested that it sent the Public Ministry a report on Murcia’s banking activities before the Colombian’s arrest last month.

According to the official, that information was requested by Drug Prosecutor José Almengor “at the start of investigations proceeding the Murcia’s capture.” Barahona further added that the unit’s original report was, in fact, the reason for opening the investigation.

Almengor, meanwhile, reported that it has submitted an urgent alert to Interpol, warning the international police agency of Murcia’s wife possible location in Argentina or Uruguay. León is wanted in Panama on charges of collaborating with her husband to launder money received from drug trafficking.

Criminal prosecutor William Parodi will head the investigation into the charge that Murcia’s network of businesses throughout Panama were fronts for the illegal acquisition from drug proceeds.