Whistleblower seeks witness protection

THE Colombian woman who told police about alleged financial irregularities at charitable organisation ‘Colombianos de Elche’ is seeking witness protection status. She says she fears for her safety following threats she has received. According to the woman, the NGO had diverted some €116,000 granted by Elche Town Hall over a period of two years for the ‘embera chami’, an indigenous group in Colombia.

She claims this money never reached its intended beneficiaries, instead making its way into the pockets of some members of the organisation.

The president of Colombianos de Elche  told a Spanish daily that “two phases of the project were carried out in those two years.”