Colombia’s war crimes tribunal JEP sentenced retired colonel Publio Hernan Mejia to 20 years in prison for his responsibility in 72 homicides committed by his forces to inflate their unit’s apparent effectiveness.
The retired colonel was sentenced to prison because he refused to accept his responsibility for the killing spree committed by paramilitaries and Mejia’s subordinates of Battalion La Popa in the provinces of Cesar and La Guajira between 2002 and 2003.
In all cases, the victims were presented as guerrillas killed in combat to the media to inflate the apparent success of Mejia and the National Army’s offensive against insurgent groups.
La Popa’s modus operandi
- Victims were assassinated by paramilitaries and surrendered to La Popa for the “legalization” of their murder
- Soldiers detained civilians and assassinated them while in their custody
- Soldiers captured often injured members of guerrilla groups and executed them
Mejia has systematically denied responsibility for the actions of his subordinates, many of whom spent years in prison for their role in their unit’s “false positives.”
During Mejia’s trial, many of these former soldiers turned on their former commander and helped establish that he was ultimately responsible for the creation of a system that punished soldiers for arresting alleged guerrillas and awarded those who committed homicides.
The retired colonel additionally helped cover up the murders committed under his watch.
The soldiers’ testimonies were supported by former members of paramilitary organization AUC and civilian victims, whose family members were assassinated by La Popa.
Mejia is one of the few commanders who have refused to take responsibility for the so-called “false positives” committed under their watch.
The most prominent of these commanders is retired General Mario Montoya, who was commander of the National Army between 2004 and 2007, when more than half of the combat kills reported to the press were in fact extrajudicial executions.
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