Colombian authorities have announced that without a court order, they are not allowed to reverse ex-security chief Mauricio Santoyo’s pension payments, reported news publication La Semana Thursday.
Director of the National Police Jose Roberto Leon Riaño said that it is not under his jurisdiction to withdrawal the pension plan of ex-president Alvaro Uribe’s former head of security.
“Until there is a court order against him, he has to keep getting paid, or they will later sue the National Police,” said Leon Riaño to the media.
The police director claimed that Santoyo receives a monthly pension of nearly $5,000, which has still been normally paid after his confession in the United States.
Santoyo is currently incarcerated in the U.S. for his collaboration with paramilitary organization AUC that allegedly involved illegal wiretapping, intimidation, kidnappings and disappearances.
The retired general also acknowledged accepting bribes from paramilitary members in exchange for giving them information about police operations being carried out against them.
Santoyo was accused by a federal jury on May 24 and declared himself guilty on August 20 for “providing material support and resources” to the AUC.
The ex-security chief of Uribe could receive a conviction sentence of a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 15. The decision will allegedly be announced on November 30.
