Bogotá   -   Colombian prosecutors formally charged Alvaro Uribe on Friday with bribing witnesses and fraud in the country’s first criminal trial against a former president.

Uribe is accused of “offering cash or other benefits to selected witnesses of criminal acts” so that they would not tell the truth in a case that links him to paramilitary groups, according to a document presented by prosecutor Gilberto Villarreal.

The bribery and fraud charges arise from an investigation into Uribe’s alleged ties to right-wing politicians.

Uribe, 71, who was president from 2002 to 2010 and is still considered one of Colombia’s most influential right-wing figures, insists he is not guilty and has sought to have the case dropped.

“I never sought to look for witnesses. I wanted to defend my reputation,” Uribe said during Friday’s virtual hearing. Judge Sandra Heredia rejected his request to have the case scrapped. Uribe faces a prison term of up to 12 years. He said on Friday he felt hurt for being the first former president to have to defend himself in court.