Colombia’s Supreme Court ruled Monday that former Cauca Governor Juan Jose Chaux, who allegedly made political alliances with paramilitary organization AUC, will be released to await trial at liberty.
At the preliminary hearing for Chaux’s trial, the Supreme Court accepted the defense’s case for release because prosecutors failed to call the politician to trial within the legal time limit.
According to El Espectador, the ruling disregarded the prosecution’s claim that the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction over Chaux’s case.
The former Cauca governor and senator is investigated for having ties to the Calima Bloc of the AUC. AUC member Ever Veloza, alias “H.H.” claimed to have met with Chaux on multiple occasions in order to secure the politician’s support for the Calima bloc.