Colombia’s inspector general on Monday cleared former Senator Alvaro Araujo Castro of links with paramilitary groups.
In a press release, the Inspector General’s Office, which is responsible for investigating and punishing any violation of the law by public servants, explained that there was not enough evidence to prove the allegations.
“For the inspector general, there is no certainty that Mr. Araujo Castro entertained alliances with illegal armed groups, nor that he used the official powers of his public office to promote and foster them,” the inspector general explained in the statement.
In a separate process Araujo was sentenced by Colombia’s Supreme Court to nine years and three months in prison for his ties to paramilitaries. The former senator is currently in prison.
Despite his absolution by the inspector general, Araujo will not be able to re-enter politics because of his Supreme Court conviction.
