People allegedly involved in the murder of social leaders in La Guajira and Cesar were prosecuted

A prosecutor belonging to the Unidad Especial de Investigación (UEI) (Special Investigation Unit) prosecuted two men, allegedly responsible for the crimes of aggravated homicide and manufacture, trafficking, possession of firearms, accessories, parts or ammunition. The crimes took place in La Guajira and Cesar in October and November 2021, respectively.

Alias Cristian was sent to prison 

At the request of the Office of the Attorney General, a judge sent Cristián de Jesús Martínez Ortega, alias Cristian, to prison. He was allegedly responsible for the murder of Osvaldo Enrique Hernández Zúñiga, community leader in Maicao (La Guajira).

On October 5, 2021, the victim was in the sector known as La Bendición de Dios, where he was approached by two men who were traveling on a motorcycle, and one of them was alias Cristian.

Both men took advantage of the victim’s defenseless situation and allegedly shot him repeatedly, and then they escaped. The severity of the injuries caused the death of the community leader of Erika Beatriz neighborhood. He was also an employee at the District Department of Education, in charge of the Colombian School Meals Programme PAE at the Mayor’s Office in Maicao.

Alias Canadiense was prosecuted

The Office of the Attorney General charged Geovany Velásquez Pérez, alias Canadiense, for his alleged participation in the murder of the peasant leader, Alberto Mejía Portillo, that took place on November 25, 2021, on the road that leads from the Totumito to the municipality of Tamalameque (Cesar).

According to the investigation, the victim was riding a motorcycle when he was approached by armed men who shot him repeatedly, causing his death.

Apparently, the crime was due to the work that the victim was doing to recover lands for the benefit of the community. A judge imposed a new detention measure on the defendant, since he is currently in a prison for other criminal acts in which he allegedly participated.

The information contained in this press release corresponds to the narration of the objective news provided by the officials in charge of carrying out criminal investigations within the Office of the Attorney General. By the time this communication is disclosed, the legal status of the people mentioned is still pending to be resolved by the competent judicial authority, always under the presumption of innocence contemplated by Article 29 of the Political Constitution and Article 7 of Law 906 of 2004.