Concerning the sanitary emergency caused by Covid-19 (Coronavirus), the Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa, appointed a special prosecutor who will coordinate investigations related to possible non-observance of all sanitary measures ordered by the national government and health authorities.
The group of sectional prosecutors at the national level will assume in their jurisdiction those investigations related to events detected in their regions and will be permanently accompanied by a coordinating prosecutor who will also have technical support of doctors and judicial police. This joint work will be monitored by the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, Martha Janeth Mancera and the Delegate Director on Public Safety, Carmen Torres Malaver.
It is important to highlight that a person who fails to comply with health protocols to counteract the spread of Covid-19 in the country, shall be guilty of the offense of violation of sanitary measures and the spread of epidemy referred to in articles 368 and 369 of the criminal code that read:
- Art. 368: “A person who violates a sanitary measure adopted by the competent authority to prevent the spread of an epidemic, shall be punished with imprisonment of four (4) to ten (10) years”.
- Art. 369: “A person who spreads an epidemic, shall be punished with imprisonment of four (4) to ten (10) years”.
In the last hours, the Attorney General’s Office opened a crime reporting process concerning two cases that were brought to the attention of the Office of the Attorney General by citizens. One case in Cartagena and the other one in Barranquilla. These are the cities where the arrival of citizens who apparently failed to comply with the medical provisions established for patients diagnosed with Coronavirus was reported. Some verifications are carried out to determine their clinical status and establish whether there is a probable cause to open a criminal proceeding.