Attorney General’s Office of Colombia On Tuesday, he summoned the former president to trial. Alvaro Uribe when Bribery of witnesses and procedural fraudafter he submitted a written charge to the Supreme Court.

It is the latest decision in a long, deeply polarized trial in which the politician’s supporters claim persecution and his detractors demand a fair trial.

The justice system previously rejected two requests from prosecutors to archive the trial against Uribe, who in 2012 accused leftist senator Iván Cepeda of plotting to falsely linking him to paramilitaries during visits to former members of these groups in prison.

But in February 2018, the Supreme Court, which investigates criminal cases involving lawmakers, said Cepeda collected information as part of his work and did not pay or pressure former paramilitaries.

Instead, the court asserted that Uribe exerted pressure on witnesses through third parties.

“The defendant and his defense (…) will have the opportunity to request evidence and participate in oral arguments with the practice and consolidation of evidence and allegations, which must culminate in a ruling,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Uribe, who will appear before a judge for the first time as a defendant, will remain free, prosecutors said, adding that new evidence had been included that lawyers say could result in a prison sentence of up to 12 years.