Court upholds defendant and orders release of niece who took dead elderly man to bank | Rio de Janeiro

Érika de Souza took a dead body to a bank branch to get a loanReproduction/Social media

Published 02/05/2024 10:26 | Updated 05/02/2024 11:20

Rio – Rio’s courts ordered the release, this Thursday (2), of Érika Souza Vieira Nunes, accused of taking her uncle Paulo Roberto Braga, now dead, to a bank branch in Bangu, in the West Zone of Rio, to pick up the money from a loan. Despite this, she became a defendant in the process and will answer for the crimes of embezzlement and vilification of a corpse, having to comply with precautionary measures.

The complaint was sent by the Public Ministry (MPRJ) to the Court last Tuesday (30). According to prosecutors, although the loan was taken out by the elderly man when he was still alive, the withdrawal of almost R$18,000 could no longer be made, as the victim had already died when the woman was arrested in the act at the bank. According to the MPRJ, Érika, through fraud, tried to appropriate amounts that would no longer be used in favor of her uncle, which would cause losses to the bank that granted the loan.

When revoking the preventive detention and ordering house arrest, judge Luciana Mocco informed that despite the great repercussion of the case on national and international networks, due to the video taken inside the bank branch, “speculation cannot be taken as evidence in the case to justify the exceptional measure of imprisonment, highlighting, as appropriate, that public outcry is not a requirement provided for by law for the decree or maintenance of prison”.

In the decision, the judge also explained that Érica’s defense proved that she has a physical residence, and that she is the mother of a girl with a disability.

Among the precautionary measures provided for are: Monthly attendance at the court registry to inform and justify your activities or possible change of address. In this case, the new address must be informed before moving, under penalty of new arrest; Considering the proof of a medical report indicating the need for hospitalization for mental health treatment, if this occurs, the court must also be communicated; and prohibition on being absent from the District for a period longer than seven days, except with express authorization from the court.

See the video:

Remember the case

Paulo’s case happened on April 16, inside a bank branch in Bangu. He was taken by Érika, who introduced herself to the employees as her niece, to redeem a loan made in the elderly man’s name. The woman entered with the corpse in a wheelchair and spoke to him normally, even asking Paulo to sign the document authorizing the collection of the money.

Employees at the bank branch became suspicious and called Samu teams. Contrary to what the woman said, the agents identified that Paulo had died around two hours ago, as explained by delegate Fábio Luiz, responsible for the case. According to the holder of the 34th DP, cadaveric fluids, which are accumulations of blood resulting from the interruption of circulation, indicate that Paulo would not have died sitting, as he was in the chair, but possibly lying down.

In her statement, Érika claimed that Paulo arrived at the bank alive and that he stopped responding at the time of service at the counter. While giving her statement, the police chief reported that she did not show sadness about the matter, but rather a concern about being arrested.