(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 15 September 2003, a former military police officer, from the central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, confessed before police and federal justice officials to the killing of Domingos Sávio Brandão, owner of the “Folha do Estado” newspaper. He also indicated that a former civil police officer and businessman involved in illegal gambling […]
(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 15 September 2003, a former military police officer, from the central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, confessed before police and federal justice officials to the killing of Domingos Sávio Brandão, owner of the “Folha do Estado” newspaper. He also indicated that a former civil police officer and businessman involved in illegal gambling operations ordered the killing.
Brandão was assassinated at 3:30 p.m. (local time) on 30 September 2002 while showing someone the newspaper’s new central office in Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso. During the previous two years, Brandão’s newspaper had published reports about organised crime in Mato Grosso, including illegal betting and slot machine operations. Until two months before his death, Brandão was provided with police protection due to the threats he had received.
On 7 September 2003, Mato Grosso’s Organised Crime Combat Group (Grupo de Combate al Crimen Organizado, GCCO) released a report indicating that former civil police officer João Arcanjo Ribeiro was behind the killing. The federal Public Prosecutor’s Office has accused Arcanjo Ribeiro of leading the state’s organised crime and illegal gambling operations. Arcanjo Ribeiro is currently in prison in Uruguay. Brazilian authorities are negotiating his extradition.
The GCCO report also indicated that an individual by the name of João Leite was responsible for hiring the killers and that a former head of the Military Police, Hércules de Araújo Agostinho, as well as former military police soldier Célio Alves de Souza and security guard Fernando Barbosa Belo, carried out the assassination. According to the report, De Araújo Agostinho was responsible for the seven gunshots that hit Brandão, two of which struck him in the head and heart, instantly killing him.
De Araújo Agostinho was being held in Mato Grosso’s Pascoal Ramos Penitentiary until he escaped on 1 May. He was recaptured on 13 September in Rondônia state. Alves has been detained in the same prison since 1 October 2002.
“Folha do Estado” reported that De Araújo Agostinho confirmed he shot Brandão, that Arcanjo Ribeiro ordered the killing and that João Leite hired him to carry out the assassination and Célio Alves to track Brandão’s movements. According to the newspaper, De Araújo Agostinho did not mention security guard Fernando Belo, who allegedly drove the motorcycle used in the crime.
De Araújo Agostinho’s lawyer Benedito Jacob Sabino, Mauro Zaque, the manager of the Special Proceedings Group Against Organized Crime (Grupo de Actuación Especial contra el Crimen Organizado, Gaeco), and Coronel Antonio Campos Filho, head of the state capital’s Police Command were present at the confession. “Folha do Estado” reported that De Araújo Agostinho reiterated his confession to federal judge César Augusto Bearsi.
