British businessman kidnapped in Ecuador: A dramatic story
A wealthy British businessman residing in Ecuador was abducted from his farm in 2023 by a group of 15 men disguised as police officers. Colin Armstrong and his Colombian partner, Katherine Paola Santos, have spoken about the dramatic kidnapping in Ecuador.
Key information
- Colin Armstrong and Katherine Paola Santos were kidnapped in December 2023 in Ecuador.
- Santos was suspected of complicity, but no evidence of her guilt was found.
- Armstrong paid a ransom to regain his freedom.
79-year-old Colin Armstrong, the president of the Ecuador-registered agricultural company Agripac, was kidnapped along with his partner Katherine Paola Santos on 16 December 2023. The men, pretending to be police officers, forcibly entered the Briton's estate and abducted the couple.
They were put in the millionaire's BMW, which was subsequently tracked down by the police. Officers conducted operation "Libertad 122". During the investigation to solve the kidnapping mystery, 30 houses were searched.
Santos, who has been with Armstrong since 2013, was suspected of complicity, but the investigation did not substantiate these allegations.
Katherine Santos, who was released earlier than Armstrong, denied accusations of complicity in the kidnapping. "People were cruel. I felt very sad that they could make jokes and lie about us at such a terrible time," she told "The Times".
Armstrong, a businessman from North Yorkshire, was freed after several days following a promise to pay $2 million (£1.5 million) for his release. "People had warned me many times not to follow the same route to work each day or to the ranch at weekends - and to use an armoured vehicle with an escort. But I always laughed off the threat of kidnap. Then it happened," Armstrong recounted.
Armstrong described how armed attackers invaded his property, tied his wrists with plastic ties, and took him and Santos to a remote farm.
"I could see several figures in the dark. They grabbed us, so I tried to hit one of them, but what strength do I have?" he recalled.
Negotiations and release
After four days, Armstrong was released following negotiations, which concluded with a promise to pay $500,000 (approximately £375,000) weekly for a month. He was found by the roadside near a brothel, and the police took him for a medical examination.
Armstrong mentioned that he was in relatively good condition, given the situation.
Armstrong made his fortune through an agricultural company founded in 1972. He runs it with his son and also owns a 500-acre property, Tupgill Park Estate, in Yorkshire, England.
The 79-year-old man has been the honorary British consul in Ecuador since 2016. In 2011, he was awarded the Order of St Michael and St George OBE and Companions for his services to the British monarchy.
