Manuel Contreras receives life sentence in Prats case

SANTIAGO.- This morning, 34 years after the murder of former Army Commander in Chief Carlos Prats and his wife, Sofía Cuthbert, in Buenos Aires, Minister Alejandro Solís issued rulings against the former Chilean secret police (DINA) agents accused of kidnapping and double homicide, dictating a life prison sentence for the former Chief of Operations for the intelligence agency, Manuel Contreras, for his responsibility in the deaths.

In addition, another 20-year sentence was given to Contreras for his leadership in the illegal association that carried out a bombing in September of 1974.

The judge also issued sentences for Brigadier Pedro Espinoza, who received 20 years for each of the deaths and 20 more years “for his position as head of this illicit association”.

Officer Raúl Iturriaga was sentenced to 15 years and one day for each of the murders, while Officers José Zara, Juan Morales Salgado and Cristoph Willeke were all sentenced to 10 years and one day for each murder.  The officers also received 541 additional days in prison for co- conspiracy as members of the unlawful organization that orchestrated the crime.