Colombia: Burglars steal drug lord's confessions

Recordings of confessions made by Colombia's most wanted drug kingpin Dairo Antonio Usuga have been stolen, officials from the country's Truth Commission reported on Saturday.

The theft took place on Friday when a  group of unidentified people broke into the home of Truth Commission investigator Eduardo Andres Celis Rodriguez. The official, alongside with Commissioner Alejandro Valencia Villa, interviewed and recorded the drug lord on Wednesday night.

"In the incident... the digital recorders that were used in the interview and a computer were stolen," said a statement from the commission. The body is investigating the decades-long conflict between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which ended with a peace agreement in 2016.

Usuga — also known as "Otoniel" —  is the head of the Clan del Golfo criminal gang.

He was arrested last year in a massive operation that involved nearly 700 uniformed agents and 18 helicopters deployed to the jungles of northwest Colombia.

Commission demands 'security' and 'privacy'

The theft happened just a day after the Truth Commission demanded "guarantees" that it would be able to continue its interrogation with Otoniel. Police had interrupted Otoniel's hearing on Thursday, saying there were concerns he was planning to flee. Media outlets also reported police officers were attending the drug lord's interviews.

The Truth Commission called for the security of those participating in the interview process and for the privacy of the sessions to be maintained.

"The Commission needs to hear the truth from Mr. Usuga about facts crucial to understanding the dynamics of the armed conflict and its persistence. We want to do so without intimidation," its statement said.

UN reacts

Following the theft, the Colombian office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the state to "take immediate and urgent steps" to protect the commission's work.

"The Commission has a fundamental role in satisfying the rights of the victims, in particular the right to the truth, which is why its autonomy and independence is indispensable," the UN office said.

The government of President Ivan Duque has signaled that Usuga would soon be extradited soon to the US, where he is wanted on charges of drug trafficking.

In Colombia, the drug lord has been convicted on several other crimes, including homicide, terrorism, recruitment of minors and kidnapping.

dvv/dj (AFP, EFE)