Reporting on criminal incidents, investigations, and law enforcement responses across Panama. Stories focus on facts, community impact, and safety developments.
A Panamanian court ordered preventive detention for former Colón mayor Alex Lee over alleged misuse of public funds, while a former Barrio Sur representative was placed under house arrest.
Education Minister Lucy Molinar visited Guillermo Endara Galimany School after a shooting threat was written in a bathroom. She said the student involved has been identified and called it an isolated incident.
MEDUCA warned that threats spread in schools can lead to sanctions and urged parents and guardians to monitor children’s digital activity. The ministry linked school safety to responsible online behavior at home.
Panama handed over a Mexican national wanted on an extradition order tied to migrant smuggling and drug trafficking. The case highlights the country’s role in regional efforts against transnational crime.
Panamanian authorities expelled and handed over a Mexican citizen wanted for crimes linked to organized crime. The case underscores Panama’s role in regional security cooperation.
Panama’s National Police stopped an attempted robbery at a jewelry store in Plaza 5 de Mayo and arrested two suspects. The detainees were handed over to the competent authorities.
The family of Coclé’s former governor has opposed a possible sentence reduction for the woman convicted in his murder. They sent a formal letter to the Ministry of Government rejecting the measure.
Former Colón mayor Alex Lee was ordered held in preventive detention after being charged with embezzlement tied to funds managed during his time as treasurer of Barrio Sur. The case follows earlier corruption allegations against Lee and adds to scrutiny over public spending in Panama.
Police detained a man after an attempted armed robbery at a jewelry store in Plaza 5 de Mayo, Panama City. Authorities said he entered the business with a revolver and intended to steal high-value merchandise.
Authorities in Panama Oeste have opened a criminal investigation after threatening messages surfaced at one school. Education officials say the case is limited to a single campus and no similar incidents have been reported elsewhere in the region.
Panama’s courts are moving toward key rulings in major corruption cases linked to Ricardo Martinelli’s presidency, a decade after the allegations first surfaced. The outcomes could carry significant weight for public confidence in the justice system.
Threat messages suggesting a possible shooting caused alarm at the Guillermo Endara Galimany school in La Chorrera. Director Leoncio Mendoza said the school is investigating who left the warnings in the bathrooms.
Mayra Evelia Hall Conte, convicted in the murder of former Coclé governor Darío Fernández, appears on Panama’s list of prisoners eligible for possible sentence reduction. The case has renewed scrutiny of how the Ministry of Government applies prison benefits in serious crimes.
Authorities in Chiriquí are investigating a graffiti message that warned of a possible shooting at a school, after a similar threat was also found at another campus. The incidents have raised concern about safety in educational centers.
A former music teacher in Panama received a 20-year prison sentence for corruption of minors and commercial sexual exploitation involving a 13-year-old student. He was also barred from working in any role involving minors.
Balbina Herrera appeared in Colón to follow the embezzlement case involving former mayor Alex Lee and other local officials. She urged that the investigation continue without becoming a social media spectacle.
Police went to Colegio de San Félix in Chiriquí after a message about a supposed shooting was found in a school bathroom. The response came as authorities verified the situation at the campus.
Former Colón mayor Alex Lee and Barrio Norte representative Javier Lynch were detained and will face a hearing over alleged aggravated embezzlement. The case highlights growing scrutiny of public officials in the province of Colón.
Former La Chorrera mayor Tomás Velásquez was arrested in an Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office operation over alleged embezzlement tied to the municipality. Another former official was also detained as the investigation continues.
Panamanian authorities are investigating threatening graffiti found in school bathrooms in Chiriquí, including warnings of an alleged shooting. The schools remained calm under police monitoring, while prosecutors and educators activated safety protocols.