memorandum of justification concerning human ... - Just the Facts

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Annex J: Government Officials Involved in Para-Political Scandal
According to the Prosecutor General‘s Office, as of June 15, 2009, 59 17 of the
former Colombian government officials under investigation for alleged paramilitary ties
include:
1) Jorge Nogurea Cotes: Following the Supreme Court‘s February 22, 2007, order
for his arrest for criminal conspiracy and aggravated homicide, the former Director
of the Department of Administrative Security (DAS) was freed one month later
due to irregularities in processing his detention but was then recaptured on July 6,
2007. Once again, on June 11, 2008, he was released from detention due to a
procedural error. However, on December 12, 2008, on direct order from
Prosecutor General Mario Iguaran, Noguera was re-arrested on charges of
paramilitary collaboration.
2) Trino Luna Correa: The former governor of the Magdalena Department was
arrested March 12, 2007, for aggrevated criminal conspiracy for his ties to
paramilitary leader Hernán Giraldo (alias ―Jorge 40‖) from the Tayrona Resistance
Bloc that operated in the region. On November 26, 2007, he was the first to be
sentenced in the ―para-political‖ investigations, receiving three years and six
months in jail in addition to a fine of ten months salary.
3) Hernando Molina Araujo: The former governor of the César Department was
arrested on May 17, 2007, for alleged ties to paramilitary leader ―Jorge 40.‖ He is
currently on trial. On March 9, 2009, former AUC members Guillermo de Hoyos
stated in a hearing that Molina met with Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, aka ―Jorge 40,‖
several times.
4) Ramiro Suárez Corzo: The former mayor of Cúcuta was arrested on September
7, 2007, for aggravated homicide for his alleged role in the October 6, 2003,
homicide of lawyer Alfredo Enrique Florez Ramírez, who was an assistant in the
mayor‘s office. Suárez Corzo, who is detained at a prison in Bucaramanga, is also
under investigation for the August 12, 2003, homicide of Pedro Duran Franco. On
April 3, 2009, Suarez was acquitted on the grounds that evidence against him had
been manipulated. Suarez was freed immediately. On May 25, 2009, a prosecutor
in the human rights unit appealed the ruling before Bogotá‘s Superior Tribunal.
5) Salvador Arana Sus: The former governor of Sucre and former counselor at the
Colombian Embassy in Chile was arrested May 29, 2008, by the Technical
59 Time frame available as of July 31, 2009.
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