In a startling turn of events during the trial of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, a courtroom was thrown into disarray when prosecutor Marlene Orjuela mistakenly played a video that had no relevance to the case. The blunder, captured on CCTV, quickly became the subject of laughter among court attendees, including victims’ attorneys.
The Incident Unfolds
During the proceedings, Orjuela initially showed a video featuring a dwarf dancing while holding a liquor can. Moments later, an AI-altered clip of a naked woman unexpectedly appeared on the screen. Realizing her error, Orjuela promptly stopped the video and apologized, explaining that the wrong file had been selected in place of the intended recorded phone calls related to Uribe’s case.
“Your Honour, my apologies. We intended to present all the material [sent by Diego Cadena], but we did not anticipate this happening,” she said. Her colleague, Luz Mireya Lopez, added that there were a total of 57 video and audio files meant to be submitted as evidence.
Reaction in the Courtroom
The accidental broadcast left the courtroom in a state of uproar. As laughter broke out among those present, including some of the victims’ legal representatives, Orjuela struggled to maintain her composure while offering further apologies for the mishap. Throughout the incident, former President Uribe maintained a stoic silence.
Trial Context and Charges
Álvaro Uribe, now 71, faces serious allegations including witness tampering and bribery. He is accused of offering cash and other incentives to witnesses in an effort to discredit a political rival investigating his family’s alleged links to right-wing paramilitary groups. If convicted of bribery and procedural fraud, Uribe could face up to 12 years in prison, with an additional eight years for procedural fraud. Uribe has denied all charges, accusing Colombia’s chief prosecutor’s office of pursuing political vengeance.