Pocollay prison inmate dies during hospital transfer in Tacna

Jhon Jairo Cárdenas Martínez, a 53-year-old Colombian national, died on Wednesday night while being transferred from the Pocollay men's prison to the Hipólito Unanue Regional Hospital in Tacna.

Cárdenas Martínez was held under preventive detention as part of an investigation into alleged extortion involving “gota a gota” loans. He had been previously evacuated to the same hospital three days prior following a reported assault by other inmates. Although a head tomography at that time showed no serious injuries, and he was discharged due to existing conditions like hypertension, his health complications recurred, necessitating the emergency transfer that ultimately ended in his death.

Authorities have transferred the body to the Tacna Central Morgue for a necropsy to officially determine the cause of death. While an alleged assault was reported, officials stated that the cause of death cannot be directly attributed to the incident until the autopsy results are finalized.