Colombia prosecution has charged former paramilitary commander “Don Berna” with 32 crimes, reported local media Wednesday.
Ex-leader of the AUC Paramilitary group Diego Fernando Murillo, alias Don Berna, received the final seven charges in the name of the Justice and Peace Law during trials against him.
Of the 32 charges realized against him, 12 corresponded to homicides resulting in 50 victims as documented by prosecution, among other crimes such as conspiracy, forced disappearance, and kidnapping, reported Caracol Radio.
Prosecution made the first 25 charges against Don Berna during the first session of the trial Tuesday, including charges for conspiracy, fabrication, trafficking and possession of weapons of personal defense; fabrication, trafficking and possession of weapons and ammunition of armed forces, and illegal use of uniforms and insignia for private use of military forces.
According to newspaper El Colombiano, the ex-leader of the AUC was presented the charges of the second trial session by video conference from a jail where he is being held in Miami of the United States, in which he was deemed responsible for the following crimes:
- The massacre of San Jose de Apartado which was committed February 21, 2005. Eight people were assassinated and nine others displaced.
- The assassin of two investigators of the Program for Peace, Mario Calderon, Elsa Alvarado and their father Carlos Alvarado Pantoja. These acts occurred May 19, 1997 in Bogota.
- The homicide of human rights defender Jesus Maria Valle Jaramillo on February 27, 1998 in his Medellin office. Prosecution said that Don Berna should also respond to the kidnapping of two people that accompanied Valle, his sister Nelly Valle Jaramillo and the merchant Carlos Jaramillo Correa. The perpetrators of the acts were members of the criminal group “la Terraza.”
- The kidnapping of four investigators of the Popular Training Institute (IPC) on January 28, 1999 in the capital of the Antioquia department.
- The kidnapping of ex-senator Piedad Cordoba on May 21, 1999.
- The homicide of journalist and humorist, Jaime Garzon Forero, which occurred on August 13, 1999 in Bogota, also realized by the group la Terraza.
- The Kidnapping of then congressman Carlos Alonso Lucio on July 17, 2000 in the south of the Bolivar department.
Presentations of the trial occurred in part by representatives of the victims during the judicial proceedings.
Don Berna was considered one of the most important paramilitary commanders and ran Colombia’s second largest city of Medellin. He was extradited to the United States in May 2008, where he is currently serving a sentence of 31 years in prison for drug trafficking.
