SANTO DOMINGO.- The Colombian Andres Berroa Mercedes, alias El Capi, tries to untangle the web around the August 4 killings of 7 of his countrymen in Paya, Baní (south), linked to drug trafficking.

The chronology of events that preceded the kidnapping and shootings included the details around the Nicaraguan Clinton Orin Gomez Halford, who survived after the killers left him for dead with three bullet wounds.

El Capi, narrating the events prior to the sinking of a boat in Barahona’s (southwest) coasts, said Pedro González (Chicho) had given it to him, though before investigators said Luis Lara was the one who called to request the rescue of the people who were in the boat, a number he didn’t reveal.

He also affirmed that Noe Martin Sterling was the one who took him and Kevin Santana Felix (El Chivo) to Billeya beach, Azua (south), and went with Jose Luis Montas, being held in the case, to see a green SUV the latter was selling.

Berroa said he then went to the Capital to buy RD$50,000 worth of fish rope, two freezers and later had dinner with El Chivo. "From there we went to La Cienega of Barahona, we got there to prepare the so-called fishing rafts."

He said at 9 a.m. August 4, they went to swim at Las Cañuelas, located near El Chivo’s house and waited until 6 p.m. Previously under interrogation, he said he called Onésimo Marmolejos (the Engineer) by telephone.

“Approximately 9 a.m. on August 4 Jose Luis called me … to do him a favor… of a boat that was running aground on the high seas, then I returned and I called the Engineer around 4  in the afternoon, I told him to come get me and take me to (Noe) Martín." From there he was taken to Billeya beach.

Berroa affirmed that when he arrived he found González’s boat, which he said was empty. "From there I reach shore on board the white boat with blue lines with two 200-horsepower motors," which failed. "I quickly do the mechanics, so that around 2 or 3 in the morning they were fixed."

At 4 a.m. they reach the waters just south of the mountain El Curro, where they rested. “I called Jose Luis to tell him that airplanes were following the boat and promised to return the call. Later I called to tell him that I couldn’t keep the boat any longer, he told me: you already know what to do, and I proceeded to sink it,  I called El Chivo’s friend to come get us.”

The boat El Capi admitted sinking on the high seas was recovered by Navy between the Barahona towns Enriquillo and Juancho.

Last Friday Peravia temporary Instruction judge Suinda Brito sent Berroa Mercedes to spend 18 months in preventive prison, with seven suspects indicted so far.

Source: diariolibre.com.do