A man was arrested on 3 August 2022 during a search of a home in Burunga, Arraiján, Panama Oeste. Officers seized 51 marijuana plants weighing about 4 kg in total. The drug-crimes prosecutor's office in Panama Oeste brought the case.
On 21 May 2026, the appeals tribunal rejected the defence's nullity appeal and upheld a 13-year prison sentence. A one-year bar on holding public office, starting after the prison term, was also kept.
The man is not named.
Why it matters: The sentence was 13 years for 51 plants weighing about 4 kg in total, and it was confirmed on appeal almost four years after the arrest.
Source: Ministerio Público de Panamá press note, 2026-05-22 (translated from Spanish). Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting.