FUGITIVE FRAUDSTER, OKKE ORNSTEIN, ON THE RUN, SEEKS CLEMENCY FROM PANAMANIAN COURT

Okke Ornstein

One of Panama's most prolific career white-collar criminals, on the run from the police, is still trying to game the system. Okke Ornstein, who has four criminal convictions, and is in hiding from Panamanian authorities, has, through his counsel requested Clemency*, seeking to avoid serving his consecutive sentences. Ornstein has additional criminal charges pending, which he avoided by fleeing the country.

His attorney has asserted that Ornstein, presently a fugitive from justice, is in poor health, and he fears that he may come to harm in a Panamanian prison. Unfortunately, Panamanian law on Clemency is quite clear: a petitioner may only qualify for Clemency if he has only one conviction, and he cannot have engaged in criminal conduct since that conviction.

The petition is an obvious ploy, made solely for the purposes of delay; Ornstein cannot be arrested during the approximately 30-day period while the Court considers his request. Perhaps the Panamanian court will allow justice to be served, and dismiss the bogus Clemency petition forthwith.

One of his criminal convictions can be see here:

 

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* In the United States, in my experience, a fugitive defendant must surrender himself before he can seek any affirmative relief from a court. It appears that Panama has no such protection of the public interest.