Former PM accused of triple murder is sentenced in Rio

The Sentencing Council of the Court of Jury of the Comarca of Macaé, in the north of Rio de Janeiro, condemned the former military policeman Flávio Mello dos Santos for the triple murder of Luiz Fernando de Miranda Magalhães, known as “Profeta”, shot dead in 2007. Indicated as a member of the criminal faction “Amigo dos Amigos (ADA)”, Flávio would have connections with drug trafficking in the favela of Rocinha, south of Rio. At the time of the crime, he was working as a police officer and would have been hired by drug dealer “Rupinol”, from the Rocinha favela, who accused the victim of planning to kidnap a relative. Judge Victor Vasconcelos de Mattos imposed the sentence of 26 years and eight months in prison, in a closed regime. In the sentence, the magistrate pointed out the status of military police exercised by the defendant. “I verify that the culpability goes beyond the usual criminal type, since the defendant, at the time of the facts, was a military policeman, having the constitutional duty to provide public safety. It is evident that the crime of homicide committed by a military police officer enjoys a more pronounced condemnation, considering the legal attribution of acting, precisely, in the opposite direction”, evaluated the judge. Background Former police officer Flávio dos Santos has already been arrested for other crimes. One of the arrests was for escorting drug traffickers fleeing the Rocinha favela, in the police operation for the installation of the Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) in the community. Among the fugitives was Antônio Francisco Bonfim Lopes, known as “Nem”, head of drug trafficking on the hill, who was arrested while trying to escape. Nem’s escape attempt took place on November 9, 2011. He was trying to escape in the trunk of a car, full of suitcases of money. The charges against him were drug trafficking, weapons and conspiracy. Nem is sentenced to more than 96 years in prison and is currently serving a sentence in the maximum security federal penitentiary in Porto Velho, Rondônia.

Agência Brasil