Colombia’s State Council on Thursday ruled that the death of a kidnap victim was reportedly due to a bungled rescue attempt by Colombian security forces, and as a result, the state must pay compensation.
The botched operation by security forces allegedly occurred in the central Colombian department of Cundinamarca in 2000. According to reports, the security forces attempted to stop a truck in which the captive was located, but when armed men opened fire, the security forces retaliated. The kidnap victim was killed in the crossfire.
“The Security forces, in fulfilling their statuatory duty to repel the attack, caused injury to a person who did not have any investment in the conflict. Therefore the state must pay compensation, not due to the fault of the security forces, but rather as a result of special damages,” read the ruling.
Although the state does not take responsibility for the actions of a third party, it is still obliged to pay damages if its agents were the ones who created the risk. The state was ordered to pay the victim’s family a sum of close to $95,000 in compensation for emotional damages and lost income.
Sources
- Por muerte de secuestrado en medio de operativo militar condenan a la Nación (El Espectador)
- Consejo de Estado condenó a la Nación por muerte de secuestrado en medio de operativo (WRadio)
