Colombia supreme court orders criminal investigation against 12 congressmen, 2 ministers .
Colombia supreme court orders criminal investigation against 12 congressmen, 2 ministers .
Tuesday, 11 December 2012 06:57 Adriaan Alsema
Colombia's Supreme Court on Monday ordered the criminal investigation of 12 congressmen and two (former) ministers for the congressional approval of a controversial justice reform that was later sunk because it allegedly granted "unconstitutional" legal benefits to lawmakers.
The six senators and six representatives face criminal charges after the two-chamber commission they formed altered the government-proposed reform behind closed doors to the extent that President Juan Manuel Santos was forced to sink the reform earlier this year.
Additionally, the court ordered ordered a similar investigation of the country's then-Interior and Justice ministers who on the government's behalf were responsible for the bill's legislative fate.
The reform bill was initially proposed by the Colombian government, but severely altered while passing through Congress.
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