Attorney General Requests Precautionary Measure in Corruption Case
2024-08-08 22:40:43
The Attorney General’s Office has requested a precautionary measure against the former director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), Olmedo de Jesús López Martínez; the former deputy director of Disaster Management, Sneyder Augusto Pinilla Álvarez; and the contractor Luis Eduardo López Rosero.
This request stems from an ongoing investigation into a significant embezzlement in the purchase of 40 water tankers intended for water supply in La Guajira.
During a hearing before Judge 35 with Guarantee Control Function in Bogotá, the Ninth Delegate Prosecutor’s Office before the Supreme Court of Justice presented arguments supporting the need to impose a measure of deprivation of liberty in a detention center. The prosecution argues that the defendants not only actively participated in the corruption scheme but also had full knowledge of its illegality.
“The request for a precautionary measure is not based solely on speculation,” said the prosecutor in the case. “Strong evidence supports the need to keep the accused detained throughout the course of the judicial process.”
The alleged embezzlement within UNGRD is of alarming proportions. Investigations have revealed that the accused are suspected of overcharging the government by almost 9 billion pesos out of a total expenditure of 14.163 billion pesos on tank trucks. The investigation has uncovered a clear division of roles among the accused, involving serious offenses such as aggravated conspiracy, embezzlement, and document falsification.
The Prosecutor’s Office emphasizes the importance of the precautionary measure in preventing the accused from tampering with, destroying, or falsifying evidence during the judicial process. The hearing to determine the measure will continue next Saturday, August 31.