2024-09-07 09:45:26
After granting the postponement, the 44th judge warned that she will not allow the trial against former President Álvaro Uribe to be affected by unnecessary delays.
The former president faces charges of alleged crimes of bribery in criminal proceedings, procedural fraud and briberyin a case that has captured the country’s attention due to its high profile and complexity.
Despite his warning, the judge accepted the request of lawyer Jaime Granados, Uribe’s defender, who asked postpone the preparatory hearings for the trial, arguing that the prosecution and the victims’ lawyers did not carry out the complete discovery of evidence. Granados said that among the elements that were not handed over to the defense were the computer and cell phone seized from Juan Guillermo Monsalve, considered one of the key witnesses in the case.
Given this situation, the judge rescheduled the hearings to begin on October 2 and extend them over several consecutive days: 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16 and 17. of that same month. However, she was clear in stating that she will not tolerate unjustified delays in the process, recalling that the criminal action is about to expire.
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Process in the country’s sights
The trial against Uribe has been marked by multiple controversies since its beginning. The judge, aware of the public interest and the proximity of the statute of limitations on the charges, expressed her intention to conduct the trial expeditiously. “I have no interest other than fulfilling my duties. We are just one more time away from the statute of limitations on criminal charges. It is my interest to carry out this process quickly, without violating fundamental rights.“, he said.
Granados has insisted that without full access to key evidence, Uribe’s defense would be limited in preparing an effective strategy. In particular, the omission of the computer and cell phone of Monsalve, a central witness in the case, has been one of the critical points in the defense’s arguments.
Despite these difficulties, Judge 44, known for her diligence and efficiency, made it clear that her office is one of the least congested in the country, which reinforces her commitment to speed and transparency in this judicial process.
With the trial scheduled to resume in October, the country will be watching closely for further developments in this case.
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