Luis Ignacio Lyons has been sentenced to four years and seven months in prison after a lengthy legal process related to his involvement in the so-called “toga cartel.” This corruption scheme implicated various figures within the Judicial Branch of Colombia. The ruling came from a judge at the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ).
The modus operandi of this cartel involved bribing several magistrates at the CSJ to sway judicial proceedings in favor of politicians and business people. Notable figures entangled in this scandal include former prosecutor Luis Gustavo Moreno, attorney Leonardo Pinilla, and ex-magistrate Francisco Ricaurte.
According to the investigations, Lyons acted as a link between his client, former senator Musa Besaile, and Gustavo Malo, a former magistrate of the Supreme Court. In 2015, Malo received 2 billion pesos, from which Lyons was to collect a 10% commission. The court found Lyons guilty of bribery, establishing that while he defended Besaile, he received part of the kickbacks meant for Malo to delay the arrest order against Besaile due to alleged paramilitary connections.
In the ruling, the court rejected several nullity claims made by Lyons and declared him responsible as a co-author of the bribery offense. It was determined that both he and Besaile were not victims of bribery; rather, they used that defense during the trial. Witnesses, including ex-magistrate Ricaurte, confirmed that Lyons was fully aware of the illicit actions taken to overturn a precautionary measure issued by the National Police.
Additionally, the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to prove that Lyons did not comply with legal standards while performing his duties and acted contrary to the law. Along with his prison sentence, Lyons is also required to pay a fine equivalent to 77 current monthly minimum wages and faces a ban on holding public office for 88 months.
The judge overseeing the case has requested Lyons’ arrest following the ratification of the sentence, emphasizing that the ruling could still be overturned on appeal. Furthermore, the request made by Lyons to serve his sentence at home to care for his sick child was denied, as he failed to demonstrate the necessity for his presence.
In response to the verdict, Lyons’ attorney announced plans to appeal the first-instance ruling before the Superior Court of Bogotá within the next five days. Lyons intends to seek a reassessment from another judge, which may lengthen the timeline for final judgment.
This ruling adds Lyons to the list of individuals convicted in this bribery network, following the sentencing of ex-congressman Musa Besaile. Besaile received a six-year prison term, a hefty fine of 400 million pesos, and is barred from holding elected office after admitting to charges before the CSJ’s Special Instruction Room in September 2023.
Besaile’s confession included acknowledgments of crimes such as aggravated conspiracy, severe peculation, and contracts without legal compliance. The ruling noted that there was no doubt regarding his actions, as Besaile himself stated during both a free version and subsequent interrogation that he had handed over the 2 billion pesos.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/07/24/el-abogado-luis-ignacio-lyons-pagara-cuatro-anos-de-carcel-por-participar-en-el-escandalo-del-cartel-de-la-toga/
