This Tuesday, August 1, Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santosappears as a witness in the trial hearing that is being carried out against the former director of the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI), Luis Fernando Andrade. The latter is accused of having participated in a network of corruption to favor the multinational Odebrecht in several infrastructure contracts.
In his statements during the hearing, former President Santos made a forceful statement, stating: “I am here at this hearing, not to defend a person, I am here to defend justice, so that justice is done.”
The facts under investigation correspond to the addition of the concession contract Ruta del Sol phase II (Ocaña – Gamarra)carried out when Luis Fernando Andrade was serving as president of the ANI.
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Role of Luis Fernando Andrade in the Odebrecht case
The Prosecutor’s Office has accused Andrade for the crimes of undue interest in the execution of contracts, alteration or destruction of material elements of evidence and false testimony as determiner.
Investigating prosecutors allege that Luis Fernando Andrade would have committed various irregularities with the objective of achieving the award of favorable contracts to Odebrecht.
Among the contracts mentioned is the Addendum number 1 of the Ruta del Sol III contract, as well as Addendum number 5 of the contract that awarded the studies and designs for the construction of the Plato Bridge in the department of Magdalena.
Additionally, Andrade Moreno is accused of having been in charge of the claim for cost overruns filed by Ruta del Sol II and the financial closure of the Navelena concessionaire, responsible for the navigability of the Magdalena River.
The prosecution presented evidence suggesting that Andrade Moreno would have visited the apartment of former congressman ‘Ñoño Elías’ five timesaccompanied by Eleuberto Antonio Martorelli, Odebrecht representative in Colombia.
At the moment, Luis Fernando Andrade is with a security measure consisting of house arrestbeing investigated as possible responsible for the crimes of undue interest in the execution of contracts, concealment, alteration or destruction of material elements of evidence, and false testimony in relation to the Ruta del Sol II contract, carried out with Odebrecht and Corficolombiana.
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