Djeringue Macedo and Jorge Patchetcha were killed by two hooded gunmen last night while sitting in a bar in the Praia neighborhood of Várzea. The modus operandi of the murder has led police and the population to believe that the crime was a settling of accounts between groups linked to drug trafficking.

42-year-old Inigo Macedo, better known as Djeringue, and 46-year-old José Jorge Rodrigues, better known as Patchetcha, were killed at approximately 10:00 pm last night while at the bar Asa dÁguia, in the Praia district of Várzea. Two hooded gunmen entered the establishment and opened fire on Djeringue, shooting him in the head and body and killing him instantly.

According to one witness, Patchetcha tried to help his companion and grabbed one of the assailants, who shot him as well. Patchetcha was taken to Agostinho Neto Hospital, where he succumbed to the gunshot wound approximately one hour later. An émigré in France, Patchetcha was on vacation in Cape Verde and was scheduled to return to Paris tomorrow.

Djeringue had survived a previous murder attempt two years ago in the Praia neighborhood of Paiol, a shooting that left him with his left hand paralyzed. He was the brother of Belito and Aramis Macedo, both of whom were also murdered under practically identical circumstances in 2003, the first in June, in the Netherlands, and the second in October in Praia.

Police sources believe yesterdays killings to be related to a settling of accounts between groups connected to drug trafficking operating in Cape Verde and Europe.