A paramilitary known as “Visaje” escaped from custody in Monteria, northern Colombia, while being transferred to a hearing, reports El Tiempo.
Carlos Andres Palencia Gonzalez was being moved from the Cucuta jail to Monteria in the department of Cordoba when the vehicle he was traveling in was stopped by another vehicle. Four armed men disarmed the officers guarding Visaje and forced all the men into their vehicle. The guards were found outside the city, bound and gagged.
Visaje, who has been sentenced to more than 105 years in prison, was due to serve only eight years due to his cooperation with the Justice and Peace process. As a part of this process, he was being transferred to testify at a judicial hearing.
The escape happened at about 5PM, but was not reported by the guards to authorities until 11PM. Colombian prison authority INPEC has ordered an internal investigation into the incident.