Former Colombian army officer jailed for eight killings
March 18th, 2010 - 11:19 am ICT by IANSBogota, March 18 (IANS/EFE) A former Colombian army captain has been sentenced by a judge to 20 years in prison for his role in the 2005 killings of eight people, including three children, in Antioquia and Cordoba provinces, authorities said.
Retired Capt. Guillermo Armando Gordillo Ssnchez pleaded guilty to homicide, criminal conspiracy and other charges, the Attorney General’s Office said.
The investigation into the murders was launched after two adults and a child were killed in San Jose de Apartado, a village in the northwestern province of Antioquia, and three other adults and two children were killed in Tierra Alta, a village in the northern province of Cordoba.
“Based on what has been established, members of the Heroes de Tolova Bloc of the self-defense forces (militia groups) committed the crimes cited, while serving as guides for regular troops carrying out” a military operation, the AG’s office said.
Former militiamen Huber Dario Yanez, known as “Comandante 21″, Joel Jose Vargas Florez and Jorge Luis Salgado David also reached plea agreements with prosecutors in the case.
Ten other soldiers are being tried for the killings.
–IANS/EFE
rd/mj
- Man gets 24 years for Colombian journalist's killing - Feb 07, 2012
- Five Colombian cops die in plane crash - Jul 29, 2011
- Colombian rebels recruited teenagers, says activist - May 19, 2012
- Colombian troops kill rebel blamed for 84 deaths - Apr 18, 2012
- Pilots killed as two crop-dusters collide in Costa Rica - Jun 22, 2011
- Whisker stolen from giant cat statue in Colombia - Apr 11, 2012
- Brazilian navy refloats tanker in Antarctica - Mar 05, 2012
- Colombia's FARC frees 10 captives - Apr 03, 2012
- Three die in Colombian plane crash - Mar 19, 2012
- Seven shot dead on Colombian highway - Jul 09, 2010
- Three die in grenade blast in Colombia - Feb 27, 2012
- Spain touts major deficit reduction - Jun 01, 2011
- Activist, wife, slain in Honduras - Aug 23, 2011
- Journalist kidnapped in Mexico - May 19, 2012
- Murder in Colombian church during Mass - Nov 19, 2010
Tags: antioquia, armando, army captain, army officer, colombian army, comandante, criminal conspiracy, dario, florez, gordillo, homicide, huber, jorge luis, jose vargas, killings, military operation, militia groups, northern province, northwestern province, plea agreements