The Colombian justice system is considering reissuing an arrest warrant for ex-Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo, who fled the country before being charged with the fake demobilization of a non-existent FARC front.
Judges will investigate whether or not there were any irregularities in the March 23 decision to revoke Restrepo’s arrest warrant. Prosecutors charge that Judge Johanna Rodriguez used evidence outside of the case to come to her decision.
“In its decision the judge made reference to physical evidence and evidence that had not even been presented in this research,” said Allirio Uribe, a lawyer representing Restrepo. “The judicial officer committed a number of digressions that had nothing to do with the process,” he added in reference to a hearing Friday.
The former commissioner’s legal team has five days to appeal the court’s decision.
Restrepo was accused of conspiring with a drug trafficker and an ex-guerrilla to pay a group of homeless people to train and act like guerrillas before surrendering to authorities during a 2006 demobilization process. The former official faces charges of obstruction of justice, embezzlement, fraud and the manufacturing, possession and trafficking of weapons.