A woman from Central Colombia, sentenced to 39 years for murdering her stepson, is apparently not in prison, but serving her supposed sentence on Caribbean beaches and at fancy parties.
Marbely Sofia Jimenez was sentenced to 39 years in January 2012 for ordering the murder of her stepson Oscar Parrado, and the attempted murder of his lawyer.
Jimenez was accused of ordering the shootings in an attempt to gain access to the $6 million fortune of her former husband, the father of Parrado, who was also murdered in 2008.
Photographers snapped Jimenez with a group of revelers in an exclusive restaurant Capachos, in Villavicencio, Meta, south of Colombia’s capital Bogota, on August 23.
The photos have put Colombia prison authorities INPEC under fire once again, as it was discovered that Jimenez has been held under house arrest since her conviction, even though the judge ordered her moved to a secure women’s prison in 2012.
Local media reported that since her conviction, Jimenez has posted photos on her Facebook account of herself in various locations including Caribbean tourist hotspot Cartagena.
As if INPEC wasn’t embarrassed enough, media reported that Jimenez has been breaching her house arrest for social events and holidays to the Medellin flower festival and has even left the country for a holiday in Caribbean beach paradise Jamaica.
According to sources close to Jimenez, she was allowed house arrest after the birth of her child in 2012, as a result of her relationship with Smith Parra alias Mano Picho, jailed leader of the gang who executed the attacks on Parrado and his lawyer.
Apparently Jimenez was allowed to return home after her sentencing due to a legal loophole which allowed her house arrest until her appeal had been heard, a process which should have taken no more than two months.
More than two years later Jimenez remains free and apparently with very little INPEC monitoring.
“I can not tell if she came out because I’m not her keeper. I told her to respect the house arrest. In addition, the INPEC has no information about these exits,” Jimenez’ lawyer told newspaper El Tiempo.
He added that in light of the revelation he has made an appeal to the Court of Villavicencio.
Colombia prison authority INPEC was already in turmoil.
This year has seen a number of large scale strikes by prison workers who claim that they are suffering due to bad conditions, poor pay and extreme overcrowding in prisons which is endangering them and the inmates held there.
MORE: Over 1K Colombia prison guards to go on strike
In recent months the security and professionalism of INPEC has been put under fire after videos emerged of high profile convicted government embezzler Emilio Tapia enjoying a private party with a hired band, karaoke and bottles of alcohol while imprisoned in high security La Picota prison in Bogota.
MORE: Top criminals throw lavish parties at Colombia’s high security prison