The alleged kidnappers of Luis Diaz’s father were told to stop laughing by an angry prosecutor as they appeared in court today.
The suspects were filmed grinning as they protested their innocence during a hearing to decide whether they should be jailed pending an ongoing criminal investigation.
A prosecutor who took offense to their attitude said: ‘It seems the detainees find this funny.
‘They laugh and I ask them to show more respect. This is a serious matter.’
The hearing in the Colombian city of Riohacha revealed today that prosecutors plan to prove that the Oct. 28 kidnapping of Luis Manuel Diaz was motivated by the men’s desire to make money.
The alleged kidnappers of Luis Diaz’s father (right) were told to stop laughing by an angry prosecutor as they appeared in court on Thursday.
Photos have been released of the four men arrested in Colombia over the kidnapping of Luis Diaz’s father. Top left, Andrys Alcides Bolívar Bolívar, alias Andrys; top right, Marlon Rafael Brito Bolívar, aka Marlon; Bottom left Yerdinson Bolívar Bolívar, alias Areca; Bottom right Brayan Javier Morales Sanjuan, alias Brayan
They have charged the four suspects, including a man they say infiltrated Diaz’s inner circle by posing as a football player’s coach to get a job at the football school he runs, with crimes including aggravated kidnapping with intent on extortion.
The prosecutor who attended today’s hearing said he was seeking preventive detention for the men, named Marlon Rafael Brito Bolivar, alias Marlon; Brayan Javier Morales Sanjuan, alias Brayan or Negro; Andrys Alcides Bolivar Bolivar, alias Andrys: and Yerdinson Bolivar Bolivar alias ‘Arenca’ or ‘Areca.’
He described them as a “danger to society” and said they posed a flight risk and should not be granted bail.
Colombian authorities have identified them as members of a gang called Los Primos, which translates into English as The Cousins.
They have accused them of carrying out the kidnapping and handing over Mr Diaz to a regional unit of the left-wing insurgent group ELN, the Northern War Front.
The Los Primos gang is said to specialize in drug trafficking and has reportedly been identified as a sub-sect of the infamous Gulf clan, whose former leader Dairo Antonio Usaga was once considered one of the most dangerous drug lords in the world.
Usaga, better known as Otoniel, was sentenced to 45 years in prison in the US in August after pleading guilty to major drug trafficking charges.
None of the four suspects whose arrests Colombian police and prosecutors made public last Saturday indicated they would plead guilty to the charges they face, insisting they were innocent.
A chilling image released by police in Colombia shows one of those arrested ‘stalking’ Luis Manuel Diaz in a shoe store as they build up a picture of his movements
The judge said he would announce his ruling next Monday on whether they should be sent to prison or released on conditional bail.
Yerdinson Bolivar has been identified as the man allegedly tasked with keeping tabs on Liverpool star Luis Diaz’s father as part of a ‘secret infiltration’ to gain insight into his movements after he became coach on his football school in Barrancas.
A chilling photo published by Colombian media earlier this week showed him walking behind Diaz, who appeared to be unaware of the other man’s presence, in a shoe store.
It has not been made clear when the photo was taken.
The two other suspects, Marlon Rafael Brito Bolivar and Brayan Javier Morales Sanjuan, are believed to have ridden the motorcycles that kidnapped Diaz and his wife Cilenis Maralunda – who was rescued shortly afterwards – while buying watermelons in their hometown.
The fourth man, Andrys Alcides Bolivar Bolivar, is a money exchange operator described as the ringleader of the operation and the man who organized Mr Diaz’s transfer to the ELN, who later took responsibility for taking him hostage in what police have described it as a case of ‘criminal outsourcing’.
Local reports indicate that the ELN is using the gang allegedly led by Alcides to divert attention from their role in the crime.
Colombian authorities announced the arrests after 58-year-old Diaz was rescued last Thursday after a 13-day ordeal.
Luis Manuel Diaz was rescued last Thursday after a thirteen-day ordeal. Shortly afterwards, Colombian authorities announced the arrests.
Diaz had an emotional reunion with his father as he headed to Colombia for the international break
Diaz (below) is with the national team during their matches against Brazil and Paraguay
Police Chief William Salamanca said: ‘We initiated Operation Freedom on the day of the kidnapping, which allowed us to identify the alleged intellectual and material authors, including the criminal group called ‘Los Primos’ that commits the crimes using the ‘criminal outsourcing’ method. .
“During the development of the operation, we captured four people believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of Luis Manuel Diaz.”
Two days after the release of Luis Diaz’s father, the country’s Attorney General Francisco Barbosa said: “We have fulfilled our promise and less than 72 hours after Mr. Luis Manuel Diaz, father of the footballer Luis Diaz, regained freedom, we captured the kidnappers.’
The Roman Catholic bishop who helped reunite Mr Diaz with his family after he took a helicopter to a mountain area near Colombia’s border with Venezuela following the transfer negotiations, revealed afterwards that he had asked him to ‘marry him again’ after he had lost his wedding ring during his kidnapping. .
Monsignor Francisco Ceballos said Luis Manuel Diaz asked him to officiate the ceremony in which he will renew his wedding vows to Cilenis Marulanda.
Authorities have maintained that no ransom was handed over to secure his release.
Mr Diaz and his footballer son, who was advised to remain in Britain while his father was held hostage, enjoyed an emotional reunion earlier this week as the Liverpool striker flew back to Colombia for international duty.