Colombian kingpin with ties to the CJNG escaped walking from his cell: custodians would have been complicit

The officer who would have let “Matamba” leave has already been arrested by that country's authorities, while the kingpin remains unapprehended

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Juan Castro Estupiñán, Matamba, a high-profile Colombian kingpin escaped from a prison in Bogotá, Colombia, walking from his cell, which was intentionally opened by a custodian, so the server has already been arrested.

Through social networks, a video was released in which the custodian opens the barrotes door of the drug trafficker's cell with his key, and later enters to check the space and leave taking care not to lock.

Moments after what happened, the alleged criminal left the cell and prison on his own feet wearing a custodian uniform very similar to the one worn by the guard who would have opened the lock.

Juan Castro Estupiñán went through seven gates in total to get out of the prison known as La Picota, after which the prison director and 56 other officials were immediately suspended, and Colombian authorities requested the resignation of the Minister of Justice, Wilson Ruiz; while the custodian seen in the video has already been arrested.

According to local media reports, the well-known drug trafficker reportedly paid between 4 and 5 million dollars to achieve his escape, money that would have been handed over to La Picota officials, so the authorities are already investigating prison staff.

Matambo is accused of being the second most important man in the Gulf Clan, a cartel that maintains relations with various criminal organizations, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Mexico.

Following the escape of the alleged criminal, the rumor of the capo's alleged release from prison spread, which was confirmed by the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC) of Colombia during the early hours of Friday, March 18.

For her part, the head of the Attorney General's Office, Margarita Cabello assured that staff of the agency are already carrying out an investigation to punish those guilty of the escape, and to try to apprehend Matambo, who was captured last year.

The commencement of a disciplinary investigation and immediate provisional suspension was ordered against the director of La Picota, (the) Major Juan Gabriel Gordillo, the deputy director and 55 members of the surveillance force for today's morning shift,” said the prosecutor.

The Colombian Senate also joined forces to demand the resignation of Wilson Ruiz, who is currently serving as Minister of Justice in the country, as he is responsible for the incident:

Homicide in Sucre is due to the presence of members of the Golfo Clan Photo: sucrecomunicaciones.com
Homicide in Sucre is due to the presence of members of the Golfo Clan Photo: sucrecomunicaciones.com

“Beyond requesting the count of prisoners in La Picota to confirm the escape of 'Matamba', former head of the Gulf Clan and right hand man of 'Otoniel', what is the Ministry of Justice doing, here Minister Wilson Ruiz has to take political responsibility for the INPEC disaster,” said one of the legislators.

Wilson Ruiz, for his part, assured that “in the face of this escape we launched a padlock plan with the support of the Police, the Dijín and the Army to find the recapture of the fugitive. And I also asked the Prosecutor's Office and the Prosecutor's Office to carry out the respective investigations to find those responsible in INPEC,” he said at a press conference.

According to unofficial information, Matamba had negotiated a deal with the country's judicial authorities, so he would soon meet with staff of the National Prosecutor's Office to discuss the terms of his collaboration.

Matamba has an extradition order against him issued by the government of the United States, where he is required on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, it is rumored that he fled to avoid stepping on a prison in that country.

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