By Julia Symmes Cobb
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s attorney general on Friday asked that the trial be investigated after the investigation into former president and senator Alvaro Uribe’s involvement in alleged witness tampering, which marked the possible end of a major legal battle in Andean country indicates.
The decision is likely to fascinate Uribe critics, who say the Attorney General’s office would be less rigorous in its investigation than the Supreme Court, which was originally charged in the case.
“After a comprehensive evaluation of the evidence, physical evidence and the information lawfully obtained in the course of this process, the prosecutor in this case determined that various conduct involving the former congressman in court did not have the hallmark of crime. “and others who can do so cannot be attributed (to him) as a writer or participant,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
Those classified as victims can appeal against the ruling, the statement said.
Uribe and several allies were investigated over allegations of witness tampering carried out in an attempt to discredit allegations that he had ties to right-wing paramilitaries.
Uribe, a mentor to current President Ivan Duque, has always insisted he is innocent.
“Thank God for this positive step,” Uribe said on Twitter.
Uribe was placed under house arrest for more than two months last year in connection with the case, following an order from the Supreme Court.
He also resigned his senate seat and led the court to transfer the case to the attorney general’s office.
In 2012, Uribe accused left-wing senator Ivan Cepeda of orchestrating a conspiracy to bind him to paramilitary forces.
But in 2018, the Supreme Court said that Cepeda had collected information from former fighters as part of his job and that he had not paid or put pressure on former paramilitary officials. Instead, the court said Uribe and his allies put witnesses under pressure.
“(The prosecutor)’s request for exclusion would have no evidentiary basis and would be an embarrassment to justice in Colombia,” Cepeda said on Twitter on Thursday, using the Colombian legal term to drop the case.
The case could have led to a prison sentence of up to 12 years for Uribe.
The request will elicit swift response from opponents and supporters, but the case is not being done, said political risk consultant Sergio Guzman of Colombian risk analysis.
“A judge is going to decide and that’s how the rule of law works, so let’s wait and see what the prosecutor argues,” he said. Whatever the ruling, he said, even though there is low confidence in the Colombian legal system.
(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)