Witnesses change stories in 'parapolitics' trials

[Judi Lynn]

Witnesses change stories in 'parapolitics' trials
Thursday, 17 February 2011 08:23 Hannah Aronowitz

Colombia's Supreme Court may ask the Prosecutor General's Office to investigate various witnesses who have changed their story in the course of trials against politicians accused of connections to paramilitaries, Caracol Radio reported Thursday.

The cases in question include that of former Senate President Luis Humberto Gomez Gallo and former Senator Juan Carlos Martinez Sinisterra.

Judges noted that witnesses had been changing their version of events in favor of the former officials accused of "parapolitics" but had no evidence of foul play until a video surfaced which apparently shows the lawyer of former Senator Luis Alberto Gil, Ramon Ballesteros, offering money and threatening a witness to make him change his testimony to favor Gil.

"The witness may say one thing, but unfortunately for the investigations it has been retracted," the Supreme Court President Camilo Humberto Tarquin told Caracol.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/14426-witnesses-stories-change-in-parapolitics-trials-.html

http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_7zbx96iX0O0/Rw6zlkO1htI/AAAAAAAAD8E/NDlOG_1CX98/s320/_Luis+Alberto+Gi.jpg

Former Senator Luis Alberto Gil.