By Ingrid Bachmann
A prosecutor has opened an investigation into two former congressmen, Francisco Ferney Tapasco and his son Dixon Ferney Tapasco Triviño, for their alleged role in the death of Orlando Sierra, a journalist and editor at La Patria newspaper, EFE and RCN Radio report.
Sierra was killed in 2002 at La Patria’s offices in the city of Manizales, and – to this date – only one individual has been convicted in the homicide, El Espectador adds. The case has lingered due to <ahref= http:="" www.eltiempo.com="" colombia="" justicia="" fiscalia-llama-a-indagatoria-a-dos-politicos-caldenses-por-homicidio-del-periodista-orlando-sierra_8007580-1="">deaths of top witnesses, including several who were allegedly involved in the crime, El Tiempo explains.</ahref=>
According to El Universal, the Tapascos are two important politicians in Caldas department and had already been convicted for their ties to paramilitary groups.
La Patria’s directors and Sierra’s relatives said they were happy with the prosecutor’s decision, as various testimonies had linked the Tapascos to the homicide, El Colombiano says.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
