A Colombian court on Wednesday sentenced former fugitive paramilitary leader, Daniel Alejandro Serna, alias “Kener” to six years in jail for conspiracy to commit an aggravated crime. Kener remains under investigation for fleeing house arrest.
The Criminal Court in Antioquia, in north-west Colombia found the former leader of “The Office of Envigado” guilty of serving as a military instructor in various parts of Antioquia, where he oversaw the Medellin-based gang’s “Central Bolivar Block.”
Although Kener was received a sentence for his involvement with the paramilitary group, he remains under investigation for escaping house arrest in March this year, where he was residing due to reported intestine and kidney problems. He was recaptured 38 hours later in a farm outside Medellin and is currently imprisoned in Valle, south-west Colombia.
The escape, as well as the decision to place such a well-known criminal figure under house arrest drew wide criticisms against the Colombian authorities.
Authorities believe that two rival factions of the notorious Office of Envigado gang were recently involved in a nightclub shooting in Medellin, which left eight people dead. One of the leaders, Maximiliano Bonilla Orozco, alias “Valenciano,” is reported to be in Costa Rica negotiating his surrender to U.S. authorities.
