Merlano's defense challenges judge for "lack of guarantees"

In the absence Tuesday of the former representative of Atlantico in the House by the conservative party Aida Merlano, at the start of his trial in the Supreme Court, his lawyer, Jesus Albeiro Yepes, announced that the political leader investigated Barranquilla would be present at the meeting. the steps "but when there are guarantees".

It is precisely this "lack of safeguards" that has been advanced by the attorney during the pre-hearing hearing before the criminal chamber, in the midst of the challenge of the 39, one of the judges, Francisco Sintura, who forced the highest court of justice to postpone the process until the resolution of the resource.

Thus Yepes, defender of the people mentioned in the Premium Fund case and Interbolsa, exposed the challenge of Sintura, representing victims in the same investigation: "In this process, we act permanently as counterparts and, yes, this condition has provided for such circumstances and warns that you can not be a judge in a case where the defender representing the defendant is also a counterpart of the judge in another proceeding. "

Defense lawyer added that the judge, appointed to replace the magistrate Jorge Caldas, who had declared himself barred from performing the duties of prosecutor during the detention of Merlano, can not hear the lawsuit against Barranquilla because "it calls into question the regime of a judge". impartial and independent ".

At Merlano 's subsequent appearance at hearings before the highest ordinary court of law, the lawyer said: "Indeed, there was no condition for holding the hearing. The way in which the Trial Chamber has been manipulated hinders the respect of the procedure. "

Thus, the start of the lawsuit against Merlano for alleged vote buying during the last legislative elections, as part of what was called "Operation White House", was shortened.

Merlano is accused of committing bribery crimes against aggravated abusers; concealment, retention and unlawful possession of identity cards; manufacture, trafficking, possession or possession of firearms, accessories, parts or ammunition and concert to commit a crime.

On the senator elected in the elections last March and currently deprived of liberty in El Buen Pastor prison in Bogotá, prosecutor Néstor Humberto Martínez said he was found "compromising documents" at a vote purchase for more $ 6 thousand.