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24 year old Luis Marroquin cried in the Supreme Court when he didn’t get bail last month - and that’s why this evening he must have had tears of joy when his attorney give him the news in jail. The Peruvian, who is accused of being part of a scam to steal form ATM machines is free of charges tonight after the DPP decided not to pursue charges against him.  His attorney Dickie Bradley explained today:…

Dickie Bradley - Luis Marroquin's Attorney
"So, she has been looking at the files for several matters and she has informed me that, in relation to Luis Marroquin, she has given directives that the charge against him is to be withdrawn. I want to say a big thank you on behalf of the family to the Director of Public Prosecution because Luis Marroquin would have been in prison until next year. The matter was to be heard on indictment, which means the Supreme Court, which means he has to join that long line of persons who are committing far more serious offences. So, all is well that ends well. His wife is here about a month, every day she goes to the prisons and it was wearing her down. They leave her young child with family members in Peru because it is a shocking thing. You and the other journalists were there in court and you all were left with your mouths opened when the judge said, 'oh, he'll just be in jail a short time he can always come back again.' No man, bail is not to punish you, bail is not to try the case against you. Bail is, are you a flight risk? are you going to interfere with witnesses? are you going to fail to turn up when your trial is to be held? Those are the factors, not to try the case there and then. In fact, had he done that there was no grounds because the facts show that this man has no link, no network, no nothing."

Marroquin is expected to get out tomorrow.

In mid-January 2019, he was was arrested along with with Chilean Juan Espinosa and Colombian Edgar Vargas, when the police arrived and inquired who were the owners of two vehicles that were parked outside of the restaurant.

Espinosa said he was the owner of the Chevy car with Mexican license plates, while Vargas said he was the owner of the other vehicle, a white four-door Volkswagen, also with Mexican license plates.

Bradley said that there was no evidence that Marroquin was connected to what the police found in the vehicles, which police claimed were items that were to be used in to steal money form ATM’s.

The two others Juan Espinosa and Edgar Vargas remain on remand.