Demobilized AUC member Uber Enrique Banquez Martinez, alias
‘Juancho Dique’ was convicted for the 2001 Chengue massacre wherein at
least 30 civilians were killed.
A district judge in Sincelejo convicted the former paramilitary member to 23 years in life of which Banquez will have serve eight, he takes part in the official demobilization of paramilitary organization AUC and has the right to benefits in exchange for his collaboration with justice.
The Chengue massacre took place in the village in the north Colombian Sucre department after paramilitary forces of the AUC’s ‘Heroes de los Montes Maria’ (Heroes of the Mountains of Mary) entered the village in the aearly morning of January 17, 2001. Villagers were dragged from their homes and killed on the street.
The massacre is also being investigated by the Supreme Court after families of victims say the armed forces never did anything to prevent the paramilitary incursion that was followed by the massacre.