Special Chamber Orders Arrest of Former Senator in Corruption Case
2024-08-10 06:35:37
The Special Chamber of First Instance of the Supreme Court of Justice has ordered the arrest of former senator Bernardo ‘Ñoño’ Elías, and the transfer of his colleague Musa Besaile to prison.
The capture of Bernardo Miguel Elías took place in the early hours of Friday, August 9 in Sincelejo, at 5:25 a.m. Apparently, the arrest occurred at his in-laws’ residence. The arrest was reported by several media outlets and follows the conviction of the former senator for his involvement in the Fonade case, where he is accused of influence peddling for the awarding of contracts within the Financial Fund for Development Projects.
Musa Besaile, another former senator, was transferred from house arrest to a prison. Both politicians had already faced sentences related to the Odebrecht scandal, another major corruption case that shook the country.
The Fonade case, which has been under scrutiny for years, continues to expose the extent of corruption in the administration of public funds intended for development projects. The misappropriation of these resources has implicated numerous political figures, leading to ongoing investigations that have tarnished the reputation of the Colombian political system.
“Bernardo Miguel Elías Vidal had the capacity to understand the illegality of his conduct and the power of self-determination in the face of such understanding; given his personal conditions, he could update his knowledge of the injustice of his conduct,” states one section of the Supreme Court document.