Former President Alvaro Uribe’s chief of staff, gained his liberty after a stint in jail for accusations of involvement in the illegal wiretapping of Supreme Court justices, journalists, human rights workers and opposition politicians.
The Superior Tribunal of Bogota granted Bernardo Moreno his liberty under the pretense that he did not present a threat to society.
With the decision the judge indicated that there was no evidence suggesting that Moreno would tamper with testimony in his ongoing trial.
“I receive this decision with respect; justice has been done,” Moreno said of the ruling, accoring to El Espectador.
Moreno has been in prison since last July 2011, due to his alleged involvement with the now-defunct Colombian intelligence agency DAS which illegally wiretapped supreme court judges, political opponents, human rights activists and journalists.
The court stripped Moreno of the right to hold office for 18 years after charging him with conspiracy to commit a crime, illegal data interception and abuse of office. Also removed from power were the former directors of the now-defunct DAS intelligence agency.
Moreno was sent to jail after wiretap victims appealed the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the former chief of staff to await trial at liberty.
MORE: Former Uribe Chief-of-Staff sues Colombian State
Former President Alvaro Uribe has in the past spoken in support of Moreno, calling him “a great friend, who accompanied me for eight years during the presidency, a completely clean man who is in prison today because of political persecution.”
MORE: Bernardo Moreno is ‘political prisoner’: Uribe
Sources
- “Bernardo Moreno no representa un peligro” (Semana)
- Bernardo Moreno quedo en libertad (La Nacion)
- “Se ha hecho justicia”: Bernardo Moreno (El Espectador)
