Panama’s chief prosecutor said on Tuesday that more than 160 actions have been taken so far in a high-profile investigation into alleged wrongdoing by Panama Ports Company, the unit of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings that operates two Panama Canal ports, as the country finds itself in the crosshairs of a deepening power struggle between the US and China.
Attorney General Luis Carlos Gómez said that prosecutors are conducting interviews, issuing special requests and deploying investigative commissions as part of the inquiry, which is being handled by the anti-corruption unit for high-complexity matters.
The probe was triggered by an audit by the Comptroller General’s Office, which began in February.
“This is not a routine case. The section handling it is equipped for cases of significant institutional and financial complexity,” Gómez told reporters.
While the specific allegations remain undisclosed, Gómez confirmed that authorities were now determining which of the audit’s findings might rise to the level of criminal conduct.
He declined to say whether any company executives had been called to testify, noting that “suspects have the right not to provide statements” unless they chose to do so through legal counsel.
