Supreme Court to revise 3 parapolitics cases

[Judi Lynn]

Supreme Court to revise 3 parapolitics cases
Monday, 24 January 2011 06:57 Adriaan Alsema

Colombia's Supreme Court will revise the cases against three congressmen who are accused of ties to paramilitary death squads, but were absolved or released early.

According to Caracol Radio, the three congressmen are Miguel de la Espriella, Jairo Merlano and Ciro Ramirez.

De la Espriella is most known for revealing the names of the Ralito pact, a treaty between politicians and paramilitary leaders in 2001. The congressman was sentenced in May 2007, but released in December 2008 after a Bogota court ruled that his conviction was illegal. In December 2010, De la Espriella was barred from holding public office for his ties to paramilitaries.

Merlano was the first congressman to resigned in 2006 to avoid appearing before the Supreme Court. He was then controversially absolved of charges by a Bogota court.

Ramirez, the former president of the Conservative Party, was absolved by a Bogota judge in late 2010. He was accused of helping a drug trafficking ring with ties to paramilitaries in the first years of this century.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/13878-supreme-court-to-revise-3-parapolitics-cases.html