Former Colombian Prosecutor General Luis Camilo Osorio should be excluded from an inquiry into paramilitary infiltration of the Prosecutor General’s office during Osorio’s tenure, his lawyer said Tuesday.
Lawyer Jaime Granados said Osorio, who served from 2001 to 2005, should not be tried because the case against him has been open for six years without resulting in a conviction. “Because of this it’s clear the [inquiry] should be dismissed,” said Granados.
Osorio was called to appear before the Colombian Congress’ Accusations Commission to respond to allegations he allowed the infiltration of paramilitaries in his the Prosecutor General’s Office.
The lawyer said the case was truly motivated by now Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro. Petro is currently being sued by Osorio who claims the Bogota mayor caused economic panic when proposing a merger of the capital city’s public utilities companies.
While in office, Osorio was noted for dismissing cases against high ranking Colombian officials including General Rito Alejo del Rio; who was later convicted for his ties to the paramilitary AUC.
Osorio’s inquiry before Colombia’s House of Representatives Accusation Committee is scheduled for March 28.
