Colombia’s Prosecutor General’s Office announced Monday that former mayor of Bogota, Samuel Moreno will receive more charges of misconduct while in office, which will add to growing allegations of corruption.
The Prosecutor General’s Office announced Monday morning that after two postponements, bribery concerning contracting irregularities will be added to the mounting charges against Moreno.
This new charge investigates misconduct while bidding for contracts for ambulance service in Bogota.
According to the investigation, in a series of pending investigations concerning the former mayor, Moreno would have received a multi-million dollar commission in 2007 in exchange for “benefiting” the ambulance service contractor. Both a former secretary of health and a former president of Bogota’s city council offered statements against Moreno confirming this “Merry Go-Round” of corruption, according to El Espectador newspaper.
Moreno was detained in jail for two years as he awaited trial, after being suspended from office in 2011.
MORE: Suspended Bogota mayor taken to prison
After the Inspector General’s Office opened an investigation into the Nule Construction Company, a landslide of discoveries have come to light. These include allegations that Moreno received over $15 million for quid pro quo agreements with Nule.
MORE: Ex-Bogota Mayor ‘received over $15M in kickbacks’: Contractor
The laundry list of charges now facing the former mayor includes conspiracy to commit a crime, corruption, bribery, embezzlement by appropriation, extortion, and undue interest in the conclusion of contracts.
If found guilty, former mayor Moreno could face up to 21 years in prison.
Sources
- Fiscalía le imputará nuevos cargos a Samuel Moreno por irregularidades en contratación (El Espectador)
