Judge Rejects Rights-Violation Request Filed by Former Tax Chief Publio De Gracia

A Panamanian judge has rejected a request from the defense of former Directorate General of Revenue chief Publio De Gracia, who faces investigation for alleged aggravated unjust enrichment and money laundering.

Judge Kerine Jaén of Panama’s First Judicial Circuit rejected the request outright after hearing the arguments from both sides at a Sept. 4 hearing. The Judicial Branch said she found that the legal phenomenon known as “mootness” had occurred, meaning the request no longer had a matter requiring adjudication.

Jaén also instructed the Judicial Office to take the necessary steps when scheduling future rights-related hearings, so that arguments are heard at the appropriate stage of the proceedings.

The case is connected to a report prepared by Panama’s Comptroller General on May 25, 2026, covering the period from 2019 to 2024. Information presented in the proceedings indicated that the audit allegedly identified an unjustified increase in assets and possible financial harm to the state while De Gracia served at the revenue authority. The investigation remains active as the judicial process moves through its various stages.