The Colombian House of Representatives Accusations Commission began the formal investigation of four Colombian judges, said local media Thursday.
The Commission said its preliminary investigation of the accused had become a formal investigation.
State Council Disciplinary Chamber Judges Julia Emma Garzon, Ovidio Claros, Pedro Alonso Sanabria and Henry Villarraga are being investigated over irregularities in their pensions.
The investigations are part of the growing “pension carousel,” scandal in which Colombian judges are accused of holding multiple short time posts in order to collect higher pensions.
The investigation’s coordinator Congressman Hector Javier Vergara said the formal investigation into the four judges was linked to an investigation of 12 other State Council Judges. Vergara said, “The allegations are against all the magistrates of the Administration and Disciplinary Chambers of Colombia’s State Council. Some of them have documents attached that will be reviewed to see if they should be part of the investigation.”
According to reports, 209 judges from Colombia’s State Council, Supreme Court, and Constitutional Court have been investigated in connection to the pension carousel scandal.
