A former politician accused of arranging his own kidnapping and that of 11 other politicians in collaboration with FARC rebels was allowed to await his trial at home Wednesday.
Sigifredo Lopez, a former political deputy in the Valle del Cauca department, was kidnapped by the FARC in 2002. He was released in 2009 and was the sole survivor of the group, the rest of whom were killed in captivity in 2007. Lopez is now facing charges of homicide, kidnapping, rebellion and breach of faith, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
The prosecutor’s office said that testimonies received from demobilized FARC guerrillas provided “elements of proof” pointing to Lopez’ “possible participation” in the preparation and execution of the kidnapping of the twelve deputies in 2002.
Newspaper El Tiempo reported that one of the most credible testimonies came from a demobilized female FARC member known as “La Negra,” who claimed that Lopez enjoyed several privileges while in captivity, including visits from family members.
The decision to move Lopez from prison to his home came after the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation had said that a video, showing a shadowy figure in conversation with FARC rebels regarding security facilities at the Valle del Cauca deputy’s office where Lopez and his colleagues worked, did not “certainty” feature Lopez, as had been posited by prosecutors.