Panamanian authorities have raided the headquarters of the Mossack Fonseca, the law firm from where massive data showing the offshore companies of some of the world’s wealthiest and powerful people used, were leaked.
The organised crime unit of the Panamanian police said it carried out the raid “without incident and interference”.
Police set up perimeter around the Mossack Fonseca’s headquarters, while prosecutors searched documents inside the office.
The law firm has denied any wrongdoing claiming it was a victim of a digital hack adding that most of the information from the leak were misinterpreted.
Panamanian attorney general office released a statement that it hoped to find documents that have been referenced in the media linking the company to “illicit activities”.
The leak has caused significant repercussion around the world. Iceland’s
prime minister, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, was forced to resign after his name appeared as one of the beneficiaries of an offshore company.
Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron, was tongue-lashed by the country’s parliament and had to disclose his tax records after his late father’s offshore assets were mentioned in the leak.
More than 35 countries around the world have either commenced investigations of their citizens named in the leak or have promised to do so.
However, the President Muhammadu Buhari adminsitration, despite its avowed anti-corruption stance, has surprisingly failed to issue a statement about the Panama Papers even as the offshore companies of the senate president, Bukola Saraki, and his predecessor, David Mark, were among those exposed by the leak.
