A Bogotá judge endorsed the pre-agreement signed between Luis Carlos Barreto Gantiva, former deputy director of Knowledge of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), and the Attorney General’s Office, within the investigation into the gigantic network of corruption that shook the entity.

With this pre-agreement, the former official undertakes to testify against at least 16 people involved in the scandal and to actively collaborate in several criminal proceedings.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Barreto served alongside César Manrique, currently a fugitive from justice, and would have participated in the diversion of approximately $100,000 million destined for the UNGRD between 2023 and 2024.

From La Modelo prison, where he remains held, he virtually intervened in the procedure that was approved by the 49th criminal judge of the circuit of knowledge.

Among the benefits of the pre-agreement, Luis Carlos Barreto will obtain a sentence of three years, seven months and 13 days, as a result of accepting crimes such as aggravated embezzlement, bribery in criminal proceedings and documentary falsifications.

It was also known that he had already returned $150 million related to the irregular routing of contracts.

The investigations point to agreements such as the one concluded between the UNGRD and the National Land Agency (ANT), which amounted to more than $101,584 million for tank trucks, desalination plants and water tanks, awarded irregularly. There is also a contract for $4,538 million for topographic surveys in La Guajira, allegedly directed by Barreto and others involved.

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The defense of the former director of the UNGRD, Olmedo López, filed an appeal alleging that the judge endorsed the pre-agreement without considering the conflict of conduct. However, the Prosecutor’s Office maintains that Barreto must also respond for aggravated criminal conspiracy, undue interest in contracts and his participation in the rigged selection of companies through intermediaries, such as lawyer Riveros Rey.

This chapter once again puts the spotlight on the corruption network that operated for more than two years and that includes former directors, contractors and officials who must now face the revelations of the former deputy director.

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