The attorney for presidential candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga is set to defend his client against allegations of involvement in a recent wire-tapping scandal, Colombia’s national media reported on Wednesday.
Zuluaga’s attorney, Jaime Granados, will present evidence to the Prosecutor General’s Office that a video released of Zuluaga listening to illegally gained information was doctored and edited to discredit the candidate’s presidential campaign, according to Caracol Radio.
According to previous statement’s Granados believes that the video, released by Semana magazine was “manipulated and edited.”
But on Tuesday, El Tiempo newspaper released the five original unedited videos as proof of their validity. But Zuluaga and Granados continue to insist the footage was doctored.
MORE: Full wiretapping video released to combat arguments of editing and manipulation
“We will give them (the tests) which the country is asking for. They will show clearly what is behind this, how this has all been fraud and infiltration,” Zualaga said in a statement.
Granados added that he would “present evidence to undermine the lies said in an attempt to tarnish the image of Zuluaga….we will conclude the report by the experts and then go to the Prosecutor General. We will first present evidence before the authorities and then it will be presented to the media.”
This choice comes just hours after Congressman Ivan Cepeda of the Democratic Pole (Polo Democratico – PDA) announced he had filed criminal charges with the Prosecutor General’s Office against presidential candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga for the spying allegations.
MORE: Congressman files criminal charges against presidential candidate over spying
The video in question apparently shows Zuluaga listening to information allegedly gathered by hacker Andres Sepulveda via wiretapping. Sepulveda was arrested on Tuesday after agents from the Prosecutor General’s technical investigation team (CTI) raided an apartment in northern Bogota.
In the apartment, they discovered surveillance equipment allegedly used to intercept electronic communications about ongoing peace negotiations with rebel group FARC as well as information on incumbent President Juan Manuel Santos.
MORE: We were ordered to spy on Santos: Key witness in Zuluaga wiretapping case
There are no reports yet as to the nature of the proof which is to be presented.
Sources
- Zuluaga entregará hoy a Fiscalía pruebas de “montaje” en caso Hacker (Caracol Radio)
- “El video está manipulado y editado”: defensa de Óscar Iván Zuluaga (El Espectador)
