President Gustavo Petro accepted the accusations of the prosecution to two former senior officials of his Government, the former director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) Olmedo López and the former deputy director for Disaster Management of this entity Sneyder Pinilla, but he said he believes more money was stolen.
“I respect the prosecution and its work and the judges who will continue to participate in this case. But I believe that these two people kept more than a billion and that the return of everything stolen is essential.“Petro said after learning of the charges that have been brought against the two former officials involved in a major corruption scandal.
(See: Corruption at UNGRD: Petro’s response to the outflow of resources to the ELN).
The charges are for the crimes of aggravated criminal conspiracy, aggravated embezzlement, undue interest in the conclusion of contracts, ideological falsehood in a public document and falsehood in a private document, Andrea Muñoz, deputy prosecutor at the Supreme Court of Justice, explained during the hearing held at the 35th Court of Guarantees in Bogotá.
Accusations of corruption
The charge originates from the Alleged embezzlement of 46.8 billion pesos (about 11.7 million dollars) in the purchase by UNGRD of 40 tanker trucks to bring drinking water to desert areas of the Caribbean department of La Guajira.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, in addition to López – who was appointed to the post by President Petro – and Pinilla, Luis Eduardo López Rosero is also involved in the corruption plot, for being a contractor in the purchase of the tank trucks and, according to the accusation, having received 13% of the tender.
The prosecuting body argued at the hearing on Thursday that LÓpez kept 724 million pesos (about $179,000), while Pinilla 324 million pesos (about $80,000) in bribes and contracts.
(See: Director of Public Service and other government officials linked to the UNGRD case).
In addition, Pinilla was allegedly given 4.276 million pesos (one million dollars) for the tanker truck contract to distribute in bribes to other people.
Charges in UNGRD case.
Sorry
Petro asked, On July 20, during the installation of the new Congress, Sorry for the corruption scandal at UNGRD, claiming that he was the one who put it there, so he has a political responsibility to assume.
(See: Ministry of Labor and head of the Civil Service defend themselves after mention in UNGRD case).
“Corruption in Colombia is a culture that permeates everything, it is among the richest, and also among the poorest, between those who have the most responsibilities and those who do not.“the president alleged.
“I did not expect from Olmedo an attitude like the one we have found“, said the president, who added “That a man degrades himself in that way is terrible“, as many of his friends on the left”They died in their efforts to save Colombia” in the past.
(See: Corruption at UNGRD: Petro’s response to the outflow of resources to the ELN).
EFE
