Police in western Colombia were accused on Friday of covering up the murder of the cousin of one of the country’s most prominent opposition congressmen.
The accusation was made by House Representative Ivan Cepeda, who was incredulous at Cali police allegations that they killed his cousin, political activist and teacher Francisco Ocampo after he resisted a search.
He called upon police “to answer the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of my cousin.”
1. Asesinado en Cali mi primo Francisco Javier Ocampo Cepeda. Policía tendrá que responder por extrañas circunstancias en que fue asesinado.
— Iván Cepeda Castro (@IvanCepedaCast) August 9, 2013
The incident reportedly took place at 3:40 in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police sources claim that Ocampo opened fire on a police patrol with a 9mm gun after refusing to submit to a search, killing a police officer. While police sources claim that the deceased was carrying pamphlets from paramilitary group Los Rastrojos, according to local media prosecutors are instead saying the papers were from the Urabeños, the country’s largest drug traffickers.
Congressman Cepeda has taken to social networking site twitter to denounce the killing of his cousing, calling for clarification into his death. He stated that not only was his cousin a leftist but a peace activist, making it utterly incomprehensible as to why he would possibly be carrying leaflets for paramilitary group Los Rastrojos.
2. Policía dice que a mi primo Francisco Javier le encontraron un maletín con panfletos de ‘Rastrojos’. Él fue hombre de izquierda y de paz.
— Iván Cepeda Castro (@IvanCepedaCast) August 9, 2013
Mr Cepeda also said that his family had frequently been “the victims of paramilitary persecution” over the years. This further highlights the unlikelyness of his deceased cousin carrying anything that would connect him to paramilitary organisations.
5. Mi primo Francisco Javier proviene de familia atacada por paramilitares. Inconcebible tesis de la Policía de que pertenecía a esos grupos
— Iván Cepeda Castro (@IvanCepedaCast) August 9, 2013
As a recognised professor of reconcilliation issues, students and teachers in Cali have similarly taken to social networking sites to express their dismay. One tweeter informed Ivan Cepeda that a “huge march” had taken place in the city as a demonstration requesting further investigations into the death of his cousin.
Ayer marcha multitudinaria en Cali por muerte de tu primo, estudiantes y profesores @IvanCepedaCast #LaVidaEsSagrada #NiUnoMas @Valtuit
— Manuel López (@manuel_lopezg) August 9, 2013
Family, friends, colleagues and students have rejected police claims, saying that when the incident took place the professor was not carrying anything that could conceal a gun or hold pamphlets. According to El Tiempo, the Arch Bishop of Cali has called for “complete clarity in connection to the deaths.”
Sources
- Congresista Iván Cepeda repudia muerte de su primo docente en Cali (Radio Caracol)
- Primo del representante Iván Cepeda fue “asesinado” en confusos hechos (El Espectador)
- Iván Cepeda denuncia asesinato de su primo (Radio NCN)
- Iván Cepeda rechaza versión de la Policía de la muerte de su primo docente en Cali (El Pais)
- Representante Iván Cepeda pide aclarar asesinato de su primo en Cali (El Tiempo)
