Prosecutor general refused to investigate corruption: WikiLeaks

[Judi Lynn]

Prosecutor general refused to investigate corruption: WikiLeaks
Monday, 21 March 2011 14:58
Edward Fox

The former Prosecutor General Luis Camilo Osorio clashed with the U.S. embassy in Bogota over U.S. allegations against members of his office and Osorio's subsequent refusal to set-up an anti-corruption unit, a WikiLeaks cable has shown.

In March 2004, the U.S. was becoming increasingly concerned that paramilitaries had infiltrated Colombia's lead prosecution entity and could thus damage its reputation among both the Colombian people and the U.S. government.

Osorio agreed with a U.S. demand to polygraph officials from his unit but refused to create an anti-corruption unit on the grounds that he could not assign this important jurisdiction to an entirely new unit. The role therefore, he suggested, would have to come from an ad-hoc unit.

Osorio also adamantly denied having any personal contact with illegal groups though the then-U.S. Ambassador William B. Wood expressed his reservation over the handling of some cases, with those who zealously pursued the conviction of drug traffickers or former paramilitary soldiers ultimately being dismissed before the investigation produced results.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/15043-prosecutor-general-refused-to-investigate-corruption-wikileaks.html