Colombian ex-foreign minister charged over nanny's lie detector test

Prosecutors in Colombia have accused former foreign minister Laura Sarabia of abusing her power after she made her nanny take a lie detector test. The scandal erupted in 2023, when Colombian news weekly Semana reported that a woman Sarabia had employed to look after her son had been hooked up to a polygraph and questioned over the alleged disappearance of a case full of cash from Sarabia's flat.

Sarabia Who Chief Staff President

Sarabia, who was the chief of staff for President Gustavo Petro at the time, resigned in June 2023 but was later appointed as foreign minister and. This comes after her resignation from that post, as Colombia's ambassador to the United Kingdom. The 32-year-old was one of the closest advisers of Gustavo Petro.

Colombia's first left-wing president, who governed from 2022 to August this year.

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Laura Sarabia was appointed as foreign minister in July 2023 and became Colombia's ambassador to the United Kingdom shortly after. She had previously served as chief of staff for President Gustavo Petro, a position she held from January 2022 to June 2023.

Woman Employed Nanny Meza Denied

A woman employed The nanny, Meza, denied any wrongdoing during the test.

Sarabia rejected the accusation during a hearing, without going into further details. She had earlier said in a social media post that her lawyers were dealing with the issue and that she respected the judicial authorities and trusted their decisions.

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The case is ongoing, with no official date set for Sarabia's next court appearance. The scandal has sparked widespread criticism of Sarabia's actions, with many calling for her resignation.

Meza denied having stolen any money during the test, and has consistently denied any wrongdoing in media interviews since. Prosecutors allege that in ordering police to question Meza. Sarabia improperly used state resources to investigate a matter which was not related to her official post.

Sarabia's lawyers have confirmed that she will be defending herself against the charges. The trial is expected to take place later this year.