Nicaragua Army Chief Ortega May Be Charged in Killing
Gen. Humberto Ortega, former guerrilla leader and current head of Nicaragua’s army, may face a court-martial over charges he covered up a killing by his bodyguards, a judge has ruled.
Judge Boanerges Ojeda this month handed over to a military judge-advocate the case, which has sparked a political storm in this tiny Central American country.
The case alleges that members of Ortega’s eight-man bodyguard fatally shot a 16-year-old Nicaraguan, Jean Paul Genie, on Oct. 28, 1990, and that Ortega covered up the crime.
Ortega denies that he or any of his guards were involved in the killing. Genie’s vehicle was hit by 51 rounds of automatic weapons fire as the youth, speeding home from a date, tried to pass a caravan carrying Ortega.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
