Alleged hitman who shot Colombian senator Miguel Uribe pleads ‘not guilty’ to homicide charge
The teenager, whose name has not been revealed so far, is also charged with "carrying and manufacturing weapons".
The senator and right-wing candidate, Miguel Uribe Turbay
A 15-year-old minor suspected of shooting the presidential aspirant in Colombia last Saturday pleaded "not guilty" on Tuesday to the crime of "attempted homicide" of which the prosecutor's office accused him, a source told AFP news agency.
The teenager, whose name has not been disclosed so far, is also charged with "carrying and manufacturing weapons."
After the events that left right-wing senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, who was wounded with three shots, in a state of maximum gravity, the minor was captured. According to the information gathered by the Attorney General's Office, the weapon he was carrying was a Glock 9 mm caliber, with 18 shots.
Crimes and penalties faced by the alleged hitman
The Attorney General's Office charged him with the crimes of illegal possession of weapons and attempted homicide.
The arguments for the arrest are based, in principle, on the immediate accusation of the victim and witnesses. In addition to his capture with objects and fingerprints at the crime as in the weapon seized with which he shot Uribe at close range in his back and with which he hit two areas of his body: in the occipital area of his head and in his left thigh.
The maximum sentence of imprisonment for the teenager could be eight years. This is the maximum that has been established, but if the young man works, studies, undergoes psychosocial monitoring and it is shown that he meets minimum standards of coexistence in these prisons, it could be even less.
Update on Miguel Uribe's health status
The last medical report from the clinic reported on Tuesday morning that the pre-candidate of the Democratic Center Party continues "in critical condition, although within the gravity he is considered stable."
Hours earlier the doctors had revealed that Uribe presented "little response to the interventions and medical managements carried out."
The prognosis of Miguel Uribe Turbay is of reserved character and extreme gravity, according to the doctors who continue to carry out all the actions "to mitigate the impact of the injuries he received."
A missing phone and little evidence
Although the minor was apprehended, and a complaint was formalized on Monday against him for. shooting the congressman, there is still no hypothesis about the intellectual authors of this assassination attempt, which keeps the 39-year-old politician between life and death.
The worst: a key piece of evidence, which would be expected to be under chain of custody, and which could clarify the matter, is missing. The cell phone carried by the alleged shooter has disappeared.
Judicial sources warned that in the course of the investigation the cell phone that the minor had when he was captured has disappeared. No one knows the whereabouts of the device or what has happened to it. It is a situation that worries those responsible for the process, since the phone could have relevant information for the investigation.
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