The investigation into the escape of Juan Larinson Castro Estupiñán, known as Matamba, which occurred on March 18, 2022, seems endless. Matamba was killed by authorities in May of that same year.
Recently, the Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation against a dragoneante (a type of prison officer) associated with the National Penitentiary and Jail Institute (Inpec). The officer is alleged to have provided false testimony that may have facilitated Matamba’s escape from La Picota prison in Bogotá.
This officer, identified as Johan Camilo Sánchez Navarro, had been summoned to testify regarding the incident. However, his statements appeared to contain significant inconsistencies, suggesting potential intentional deception.
The Attorney General’s Office stated, “The Public Ministry is investigating whether the official at La Picota prison aided in Matamba’s escape, allowing him to leave without being detected.” They further indicated that they aim to clarify if Sánchez Navarro made any statements under oath that contradicted the facts during the ongoing penal and disciplinary investigation concerning Matamba’s escape.
Additionally, the Attorney General’s Office has mandated relevant evidence collection from Sánchez Navarro to determine whether he omitted critical information or altered the facts in his sworn testimony.
Just recently, the Criminal Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice instructed the judge in Bolívar (Santander) to address charges against six police officers accused of allegedly torturing Matamba during his apprehension.
The justices noted that due to a conflict of jurisdiction, the case against the former officers must be handled where the events occurred, which is in the area of Santander where Matamba was killed.
The officers being investigated for Matamba’s death include Álvaro Gallardo Aparicio, Jhon Edinson Tejada Pinzón, Jaime Andrés Alarcón Díaz, Luis Albeiro Chavarría Monsalve, Arnobis Estith Hernández Corrales, and Diego Alejandro Pardo Bedoya. They face charges of aggravated homicide and torture.
According to the General Prosecutor’s Office, Matamba was reportedly looking to surrender to U.S. authorities, who were seeking his extradition, intending to provide critical information regarding drug trafficking routes and corrupt contacts within law enforcement and the military.
However, investigators indicated that Matamba was ambushed rather than engaging in armed resistance during his capture, as was previously claimed in May 2022.
In one of the audio recordings presented as evidence against the police officers involved in Matamba’s death, witnesses described the operation, stating, “They started pulling out revolvers, pistols, and a rifle that we had never seen before. They had a drone, talked about a ghost plane, and tied up the caretakers, yelling, ‘you are guardians of criminals.’”
Witnesses further claimed that the police cut down trees on the property to facilitate the landing of helicopters and bring in additional officers, who then armed Matamba to present him as a “kill” in the operation.
Matamba led a criminal network known as Cordillera Sur, allied with the Clan del Golfo, and was responsible for the production and shipment of large quantities of illicit drugs to Mexican drug cartels. However, he was killed in May 2022 in a rural area of Antioquia, an event confirmed by then-President Iván Duque.
“I want to inform everyone that in an operation coordinated by our police and the Attorney General’s Office in Bolívar (Santander), Juan Larinson Castro Estupiñán, alias Matamba, a former leader of the Clan del Golfo and one of the country’s most wanted criminals, was neutralized,” Duque announced on his social media.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/07/23/procuraduria-investigara-a-dragoneante-del-inpec-implicado-en-la-fuga-de-alias-matamba-por-falso-testimonio/
