The Superior Court of Appeals of the First Judicial District held the preventive detention for the former mayor of Colón, Alex Lee; the representative of the district of Barrio Norte, Javier Lynch; and the treasurer Orlando Salazar investigated for the alleged commission of the crime of embezzlement.
In Lee’s case, the court magistrates decided to maintain preventive detention because they considered that there was a risk of flight and that the crime charged against him was serious.
Lee was charged with the crime of embezzlement when he served as treasurer of the Barrio Sur Community Board, in the province of Colón.
The Prosecutor’s Office attributes the alleged irregular handling of allocated funds to Lee by the National Decentralization Authority for the execution of social interest programs, for an amount of $1 million.
In this case, the court also charged charges of embezzlement and imposed the precautionary measure of periodic notification to the former district representative of Barrio Sur, Marta Macías.
Lee also faces a complaint filed by the mayor of Colón, Diógenes Galván, for the loss of a series of vehicles from that commune, which he supposedly handed over to third parties.
In May 2024, Lee was apprehended at the Tocumen International Airport when he was trying to leave the country, but was prevented from leaving as a result of an embezzlement investigation for the alleged embezzlement of $214,000 when he was a representative of the Barrio Sur district.
The court also decided to maintain preventive detention for Lynch and Salazar, also charged with the crime of embezzlement related to alleged irregularities. in the management of approximately $6 million delivered by the National Decentralization Authority to carry out social works in the community.
The defense of Lynch and Salazar had filed an appeal against the decision taken on April 23 by the guarantee judge, Ángel Santos, who decided to keep them in prison until the conclusion of the investigation.
