The Rio de Janeiro State Civil Police Secretariat informed the Federal Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes (STF) on Wednesday (12th) of this week that the investigation launched to investigate the removal of the bodies of victims of the containment operations carried out in the Peña and Alemán complexes in October did not focus on the families of the dead and was launched on the basis of “violent indicators of a crime and an attempt to tamper with evidence.”
The explanation was given by Leandro Gontijo de Siqueira Alves, the representative in charge of the ongoing investigation at Rio de Janeiro’s 22nd police station in Peña. On Monday, he responded to Moraes’ decision to halt the investigation as well as request for information.
In the document, the delegation said its objective was to “investigate any signs of procedural irregularity arising from the conduct that occurred after the collision, which has been extensively documented in videos, press records and other evidence already attached to the case file.”
He also defended the investigation, saying it needed to provide “transparency and integrity in criminal prosecutions” and that civil police had a legal obligation to investigate the authorship and severity of criminal offenses if there were minimal elements of illegality.
“This investigation is therefore not a persecution of the family or the population, but rather a technical and legal measure to preserve the truth and integrity of the evidence,” the representative added.
Finally, Mr. Alves presented preliminary information from testimonies indicating that the vehicle used to transport the body was used as a result of theft or other crime, supporting the need for an investigation.
In addition to suspending the investigation, President Moraes on Monday ordered authorities in Rio de Janeiro to explain the massive operation that left 121 people dead. The order was forwarded to the Rio de Janeiro government, the Ministry of Public Affairs, the Court of Justice and the State Department of Public Security.
The minister is rapporteur for the so-called ADPF das Favelas, which sets guidelines for community policing to reduce fatality rates. The minister is working to examine whether the goals set by the court in April were met in what was described as the deadliest operation in Rio de Janeiro’s history.
The state government asked for more time to send information on images of the police cameras used and a list of the names of the security personnel involved. Moraes extended the period, allowing the government of Claudio Castro (RJ) to transfer the data until next Monday (17th).
MPRJ explained the independent expert examination process for the autopsy examination of the victim’s body. The agency explained the process, provided details on steps already completed and shared preliminary results. He said the doctor’s technical team will publish the final report or reports once they are completed.
TJ-RJ also transmitted information on the progress of arrests, search and seizure warrants, and proceedings against defendants targeted in large-scale operations. Finally, the DP-RJ clarified whether he had access to evidence of records and other procedures necessary for appropriate monitoring and support for the victim’s family. The agency said it had partially received information and answers requested by security agencies.
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