22 November 2006

Alert

Plot to kill witness in journalist's murder case uncovered


Incident details

Alberto Rivera Fernández

journalist(s)

killed

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(IPYS/IFEX) - On 16 November 2006, staff at Peru's National Penitentiary Institute (Instituto Nacional Penitenciario del Perú, INPE) uncovered a plan to kill one of the men involved in the murder of journalist Alberto Rivera Fernández, which took place in April 2004 in the town of Pucallpa, northeastern Peru.

According to information published by the newspaper "El Comercio", Álex Panduro Ventura, a key witness to the homicide, was to be killed in the Pucallpa jail, where he is imprisoned. The individuals behind the plan have not been identified.

Prison authorities transferred Panduro to the same wing where another man involved in the crime is serving his sentence, Tercero Samuel Gonzáles. Gonzáles is also a witness in the trial of those accused of being the masterminds of the journalist's murder: Luis Valdez Villacorta, mayor of the province of Coronel Portillo, and former councillor Solio Ramírez Garay.

On 15 November Panduro stated to "El Comercio" that both Valdez and Ramírez Garay have much to answer for in relation to the crime.

Rivera was shot to death on 21 April 2004. The day before his murder, on his radio programme he had accused Valdez of being involved with drug trafficking.



Source:

Instituto Prensa y Sociedad
Sucre N° 317
Barranco, Lima
Perú
alertas (@) ipys.org
Phone: +51 1 2474465
Fax: +51 1 2473194
 

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More on this case

Court acquits alleged masterminds of journalist's murder 14 May 2012 Supreme Court overturns acquittal of former mayor implicated in journalist's murder 3 February 2011 Ruling acquits alleged masterminds of journalist's murder 11 February 2010 Disciplinary proceedings initiated against four judges for mishandling trial that absolved suspected masterminds of journalist's murder 20 December 2007 Judge rescinds arrest orders for mayor and municipal councillor in radio presenter's murder 12 April 2006 Arrest warrant issued for mayor and former court official accused of journalist's murder 7 April 2006 IAPA pleased with sentencing of journalist's murderers 13 February 2006 Two municipal employees arrested in connection with journalist's murder 8 June 2004 IAPA asks attorney general to investigate complaints about handling of murdered journalist's case 31 May 2004 CPJ investigating whether journalist's murder was related to his journalistic work 26 April 2004 Journalist killed in Ucayali 22 April 2004

Peru

Journalist shot in leg after threat from mayor's office 25 May 2012 Newspaper director and editor receive e-mail death threats 22 May 2012 Journalist receives death threat from alderman 16 May 2012 Court acquits alleged masterminds of journalist's murder 14 May 2012 Police investigation points to mayor as mastermind behind journalist's murder 11 May 2012 See all alerts: Peru


 
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