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Colombia · Odebrecht case (Ruta del Sol section 2)

José Elías Melo: what happened in the Odebrecht case (Ruta del Sol section 2) case

Former president of Corficolombiana. The court found that Melo knew of about US$6.5 million in bribes paid in 2009 for section 2 of the Ruta del Sol, according to El Colombiano.

Outcome todayMelo's conviction was upheld on appeal in October 2020, and as of October 2024 he had been granted conditional release after serving three fifths of his sentence, according to Vanguardia.

Every court stage

  1. Found guilty of bribery and undue interest in contracting1Juzgado 14 Penal Municipal de Conocimiento de Bogotá
  2. Sentenced to 11 years and 9 months in prison and barred from public office for 11 years and 7 months, and taken to La Picota prison2Juzgado 14 de conocimiento de Bogotá
  3. Conviction upheld on appeal, with a disqualification of 159 months and a fine of 174 monthly minimum wages, according to Radio Nacional3Tribunal Superior de Bogotá
  4. Granted conditional release after serving three fifths of his sentence4Bogotá court

Response

Melo denied involvement and his lawyer said he would appeal, according to El Colombiano.

Sources

  1. El Colombiano, Condenas que suma el caso Odebrecht (29 April 2019)
  2. Portafolio, Condenan a 11 años de prisión a José Elías Melo por el caso Odebrecht (29 April 2019)
  3. Radio Nacional de Colombia, Tribunal Superior de Bogotá confirma condena contra José Elías Melo (7 October 2020)
  4. Vanguardia, Caso Odebrecht: José Elías Melo, expresidente de Corficolombiana, quedó en libertad condicional (28 October 2024)