Colombia Sets Corruption Hearings for Ex-Ecopetrol Chief Ricardo Roa
COLOMBIA · JUSTICE
Key Facts
- The country. Colombia has 53.9 million people. President Abelardo de la Espriella took office on 7 August 2026, a hard right turn after the country’s first left-wing government.
- The money. The currency is the peso, about 3,173 to the US dollar. Oil, coal, coffee and a growing nearshoring industry drive the economy.
- Who is involved. The Fiscalía General de la Nación is Colombia’s attorney general’s office, which investigates and brings charges. Ecopetrol, the state-controlled oil company Ricardo Roa led until 30 July 2026, is the country’s largest listed firm.
- What happened. Roa’s lawyer told prosecutors in writing on 22 September 2026 that his client does not intend to leave Colombia. The filing followed a rental listing for the flat at the centre of one case.
- The allegation. Prosecutors charged Roa on 11 March 2026 with influence-peddling by a public servant, and he did not accept the charge. They say the flat was bought for 1.8 billion pesos (US$562,500) against a market value of 2.727 billion (US$852,000).
- What it means. For expats in Bogotá nothing changes; the penthouse is offered at 40 million pesos (US$12,500) a month, building fees included. For investors, the test is whether Ecopetrol’s governance cases keep to their dates.
- The catch. No court has ruled, and Roa is presumed innocent. The campaign-spending hearing is set for 30 October 2026, and the flat case resumes on 25 November, when the defence will argue for annulment.
A lawyer for the former Ecopetrol president told prosecutors he will not leave Colombia. The flat at the centre of one case is now offered for rent.
The Ricardo Roa Fiscalía case returned to public view this week, after the Bogotá penthouse at its heart was advertised for rent. Roa’s lawyer then told prosecutors in writing that the former Ecopetrol president has no plan to leave Colombia.
What Roa’s Lawyer Told Prosecutors
Juan David León, the defence lawyer for Ricardo Roa, sent a written filing to Colombia’s Fiscalía General de la Nación. That is the attorney general’s office, and Caracol Radio reported it on Tuesday, 22 September 2026.
León wrote that his client “no tiene contemplado abandonar el territorio nacional” — he does not intend to leave the country. He added that Roa has no plan to travel abroad, temporarily or permanently.
The filing followed speculation after the flat appeared on the rental market. Infobae reported that his legal team rejected the idea that renting the flat was a way to avoid the courts.
The filing went to the Fiscalía Tercera Especializada, a unit of the prosecutors’ specialised anti-corruption directorate. Caracol Radio said it was lodged in the campaign-spending case, days before a hearing set for 30 October.
León told Caracol Radio that the same willingness applies to the penthouse case. He said Roa has attended every hearing he was called to.
The Penthouse at the Centre of the Ricardo Roa Fiscalía Case
The property is penthouse 901 in the Entre Parques building, in Bogotá’s El Chicó district. A listing by the agency Pizo put the rent at 40 million pesos (US$12,500) a month.
Caracol Radio described a duplex of about 400 square metres, with a private terrace of about 190 square metres. The rent includes about 7 million pesos (US$2,200) in building fees.
Semana and Vanguardia reported that the prosecution file puts the December 2022 purchase price at 1.8 billion pesos (US$562,500). Prosecutors put the market value then at 2.727 billion pesos (US$852,000).
That gap is about 927 million pesos (US$290,000), or roughly 34 percent. All conversions use the 23 September 2026 rate of about 3,200 pesos to the dollar.
The listing says the flat will be available in about a month. Infobae said it has three bedrooms, a jacuzzi and six parking spaces.
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What Prosecutors Allege
Prosecutors charged Roa on 11 March 2026 with “tráfico de influencias de servidor público”. That is influence-peddling by a public servant, and he did not accept the charge.
The case concerns how the flat was bought, according to Semana and Infobae. Prosecutors say a retired police colonel, Juan Guillermo Mancera, helped secure the price and the payment terms.
Prosecutors further allege that Roa later pressed Luis Enrique Rojas, then head of Ecopetrol’s Hocol unit. They say the aim was to favour Gaxi ESP, linked to Mancera, in the Chuchupa–Ballena gas project.
La Silla Vacía reported that a judge found the March charge properly framed. The judge backed prosecutor Claudia Garrido’s decision to take the case to trial.
These are allegations, not findings. No court has convicted Roa, his defence is contesting the case, and he is presumed innocent.
Two Separate Cases, Two Hearing Dates
Roa faces two criminal proceedings, Caracol Radio and Semana report. One concerns the flat; the other concerns spending limits in the 2022 Petro presidential campaign.
Roa managed that campaign. Semana reported that prosecutors accuse the campaign of exceeding the legal spending cap and under-reporting its costs.
The campaign accusation hearing is set for 30 October 2026, Semana and El Tiempo reported. In the flat case, prosecutors filed their written accusation on 9 June 2026.
That hearing opened on 20 August 2026 and was suspended after the defence signalled a request to annul the case. Semana reported it will resume on 25 November 2026.
Why This Matters for Expats and Investors
Ecopetrol is Colombia’s largest listed company and a core holding in local pension and index funds. How its former leadership is judged shapes views on governance there.
For investors, the useful signal is process rather than headlines. Watch whether the hearings hold on the announced dates and whether rulings are published.
For expats in Bogotá, daily life and property deals are not affected by this case. High-end rentals in El Chicó remain a normal part of the market.
Ecopetrol has had no permanent president since Roa left. Caracol Radio reported that acting chief Juan Carlos Hurtado resigned in September, with finance head Camilo Barco stepping in.
The Ricardo Roa Fiscalía case is also a test of pace. Colombian corruption cases often run for years before a final ruling.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the defence request to annul the flat case will succeed. That question is due to be argued on 25 November 2026.
Prosecutors have not published the accusation document, so the full wording of the charges is not public. Roa has not spoken publicly about the rental listing.
His lawyer said the decision to rent, rather than sell, was a personal one. The flat is also under a court attachment from a separate civil debt claim.
Roa left Ecopetrol on 30 July 2026, according to the company’s own filing. The next fixed point in the calendar is the hearing on 30 October 2026.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ricardo Roa?
He led Ecopetrol, Colombia’s state-controlled oil company, until 30 July 2026. He also managed Gustavo Petro’s 2022 presidential campaign.
Is Roa barred from leaving Colombia?
No travel ban has been reported. His lawyer told prosecutors that Roa does not intend to leave the country.
Has Roa been convicted of anything?
No. He has been charged and did not accept the charge, and he is presumed innocent until a court rules.
Sources: Ecopetrol relevant-information filing, 23 July 2026; Fiscalía General de la Nación case details as reported by Caracol Radio, Semana, El Tiempo, Infobae, El Colombiano, Vanguardia and La Silla Vacía.
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