A Colombian judge on Wednesday ordered the release of Ruben Dario Granda, who was detained by police on charges of financing guerrilla group the FARC, after questions were raised about the legality of the evidence used to justify his arrest, reported Colombian media.
Ruben Dario Granda, who is the brother of FARC spokesman Rodrigo Granda, was arrested on Monday alongside his wife Elba Mercedes Aranda Urriago and guerrilla member Carlos Emilio Palacio Gomez in Bogota, on charges of financing terrorist activity and conspiracy to commit crime.
The judge in charge of the case was forced to release the detainees when the legality of the evidence against the trio – largely emails taken from FARC computers – was called into question.
In a statement to reporters, Dario Granda asserted his innocence and distanced himself from his brother’s guerrilla activities.
“As a brother I respect what I do not agree with, but I respect him, he doesn’t speak about me and I don’t speak about him.”
Colombia’s prosecutor general, who originally presented the evidence against Granda, appealed against the judge’s decision.
