Date of murder: April 11, 1999
The facts: As he watched a televised boxing match on the balcony of his friend Alvaro Padillas home, a man came up from behind and shot him four times in the head and shoulders. The hitman then made off.
Background: Hernando Rangel Moreno had been an ally of the mayor of El Banco Magdalena, Fidias Zeider Ospino. The former mayor had even funded a publication and was preparing a second work on of the achievements of his administration. But Rangel changed his mind and in his publications charged that there was a crisis in the local government. On April 12, 1999, the day after Rangels murder, a municipal strike was to be staged against the local administration, organized by Rangel, among others.
Proceedings: The State Attorneys Office assigned a local district attorney in El Banco Magdalena to handle the investigations. On January 6, 2000, an order for the preventive arrest of Fidias Zeider Ospino was issued. Ospinos attorneys appealed and on March 10 the order was revoked. Ospino up to then mayor of El Banco Magdalena was freed but was suspended from duties for alleged mishandling of public contracts.
Irregularities in the proceedings: From April 13 to July 1, 1999, the local district attorney, Oreste Sangregorio Gutiérrez, did little or nothing with the investigation. State Attorney Sandra Jeanette Castro accused him of foot-dragging. The investigation is now, however, is now being handled by Oher Hadith Hernández of the Attorney General Offices Human Rights Unit.
News Reports CasesAnuncian cierre de la investigación
Hernando Rangel Moreno, un expediente más
Judicial ProceedingsEditor and owner of the newspapers Sur 30 días, Magdalena 30 días and Región in El Banco, Magdalena.
