2024-08-07 19:42:37
The son of President Gustavo Petro appeared at the preparatory hearing of his trial for alleged crimes of money laundering and illicit enrichment.
Nicolás Petro is accused of having received up to 1,000 million pesos from the former drug trafficker Samuel Lopesierra, known as “The Marlboro Man”“, and the controversial businessman Alfonso Hilsaca, alias “El Turco Hilsaca.”
This money, originally intended for his father’s presidential campaign, would have been used by Nicolás Petro to purchase a luxury apartment.
The Attorney General’s Office reported that the hearing on Monday, August 5, was attended by the Prosecutor’s delegate assigned to the Specialized Directorate against Money Laundering of the Delegate for Criminal Finances. During the session, Nicolás Petro’s defense attorney requested more time to review the observations on the discovery of evidence, expressing doubts about it.
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The judge confirmed that the Prosecutor’s Office provided the material evidence in accordance with the law and made full discovery of the same. The Deputy Prosecutor was willing to clarify the doubts raised by the defense regarding the discovery of evidence requested last week.
The defense, for its part, announced the presentation of 94 documentary evidence, 9 testimonial and 6 expert evidence, with which it intends to prove the innocence of Nicolás Petro in this process. The court granted a reasonable time for the verification of these elements and set the dates of September 10 and 11 to continue with the hearings.
This case remains a topic of high public interest due to the political and personal implications for President Gustavo Petro and his family.
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