Rio: Justice orders the release of José Escafura due to poor health

Judge Rosa Helena Penna Macedo Guita, from the 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Justice of the State of Rio de Janeiro, granted an injunction this Friday (16) determining that the misdemeanor José Caruzzo Escafura, 92 years old, be placed under house arrest in due to his age and poor health, after undergoing surgery for a fractured femur. Better known as “Piruinha”, and considered one of the biggest offenders of the jogo do bicho, in the north zone of Rio, he had been arrested since May of this year, on suspicion of having ordered the death of Natalino José do Nascimento Espíndola, known as Neto, owner of a car shop. The crime took place in July last year. According to investigations by the Civil Police Homicide Division, the order came from him and his daughter, Monalisa Escafura. Natalino was executed in an ambush when he was walking to his vehicle shop, on Estrada Intendente Magalhães, on the corner of Rua Nova do Amorim, in the Vila Valqueire neighbourhood. After suffering a fall at Casa de Albergado Crispim Ventino, in Benfica, Piruinha was diagnosed, through a CT scan, with advanced osteoporosis and femur fracture, which is why he underwent total arthroplasty surgery on his right hip. In the decision, judge Rosa Helena Guita wrote: “In fact, it has been demonstrated that the patient is extremely weak, either because of his health condition or because of his advanced age. Thus, considering the content of article 318 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, I grant the injunction, so that José Escafura is placed under house arrest, through electronic monitoring, prohibition of contact with the witnesses listed in the process and prohibition of visits, with the exception of of their family members and lawyers”. The judge also ordered the immediate dispatch of an official letter to the 3rd Criminal Court of the District of the Capital to comply with the measure.

Agência Brasil