Kendry Alberto Ferguson Madison, convicted of drug offenses, turned himself in this Saturday, October 24, before the courts of Limón, 12 days after the Ministry of Justice authorized his release from prison despite the fact that he had a new eight-year sentence and a pretrial detention order.
The man appeared in the morning at the Limón courthouse to place himself at the disposal of the authorities, according to a source linked to the case. His release had triggered an internal investigation at the Ministry of Justice over the omissions that allowed his release, La Nación reported.
Ferguson had completed on October 12 a sentence issued in November 2021 for aggravated drug transportation and possession harmful to public health. However, another sentence was hanging over him, imposed by the Flagrancy Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of Limón just one week earlier.
The court had imposed eight years in prison and pretrial detention until April 2027
On October 5, the Flagrancy Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of Limón sentenced Ferguson to eight years in prison for possession of drugs for distribution within a penal facility, according to case file 26-000459-1263-PE.
In addition to the sentence, the judges ordered that he remain in pretrial detention until April 2027, while the conviction became final. The ruling included a "hold order" slip, by which it is ordered th…
AI Brief
Your highlights
Kendry Alberto Ferguson Madison surrendered before the Limón Courts twelve days after his improper release. (Image courtesy)
Kendry Alberto Ferguson Madison, convicted of drug crimes, surrendered this Saturday, October 24, before the Limón Courts, 12 days after the Ministry of Justice authorized his release from prison despite his having a new eight-year sentence and a pretrial detention order. The man appeared during the morning at the Limón courthouse to place himself at the disposal of the authorities, according to a source linked to the case confirmed. His release had triggered an internal investigation at the Ministry of Justice due to the omissions that allowed his release, La Nación reported.
Ferguson had completed on October 12 a sentence issued in November 2021 for aggravated drug transportation and possession harmful to public health. However, another sentence weighed on him, imposed by the Flagrante Delicto Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of Limón just one week earlier.
On October 5, the Flagrante Delicto Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of Limón sentenced Ferguson to eight years in prison for drug possession for distribution within a penal center, according to case file 26-000459-1263-PE.
The inmate completed on October 12 a previous sentence for aggravated drug transportation and possession issued in 2021. (Image courtesy)
In addition to the sentence, the judges ordered that he remain in pretrial detention until April 2027, while the sentence acquired finality. The ruling included an "on hold" order, whereby a person is to remain under judicial custody.
Despite those provisions, the Ministry of Justice authorized his release from the Carlos Luis Fallas prison, located in La Roxana de Pococí.
The director of the Carlos Luis Fallas prison, Giovanna Cleland Colwille, acknowledged that the release occurred because the official of the Law Section in charge of reviewing the file did not check an email sent by the court. The message contained the notification of the new conviction, the precautionary measure, and the order to keep Ferguson at the disposal of the courts.
Another official found the communication on October 13, one day after the convicted man left the penitentiary, while conducting a search for another procedure.
A handcuffed man surrenders to two Public Force agents in front of a police station in Costa Rica. (Illustrative image Infobae)
The 2021 sentence, which Ferguson finished serving on October 12, corresponds to case file 20-000258-0622-PE. The later sentence, issued in October 2026, remained pending execution after the administrative error.
The Minister of Justice, Gabriel Aguilar, announced the removal from their posts of the officials involved in the process that led to the release. He also reported that he will file criminal complaints as the internal investigation advances.
With Ferguson's surrender to the courts, judicial authorities must define his procedural situation and carry out the provisions issued by the Flagrante Delicto Court.