After the Court of Mairiporã, in Greater São Paulo, revoked the arrest of Henrique Moreira Lelis, 34, from Palmeiras, who was identified by the Civil Police and the Public Ministry as one of those involved in the ambush of two Cruzeiro fans’ buses on October 27, the Tarcísio de Freitas (Republican) government decided to change the police station investigating the case.
In a note to Sheetthe SSP (Secretariat of Public Security) reported this Tuesday (5) that the investigation left the Drade (Police Station for the Suppression of Offenses of Sports Intolerance), which was responsible, and passed to the 3rd Police Station for investigations of Multiple Homicides, from the Homicide Division of the DHPP (State Department of Homicide and Personal Protection).
According to the ministry, the new police station “will continue with a police investigation, which investigates the crimes of homicide, attempted homicide, bodily injuries, fire and damage.”
The revocation of the palmeirense’s arrest occurred after the Sheet reveal, on Monday (4), that Lelis was 400 km away from the fight between members of Mancha Alviverde and the Blue Mafia that resulted in the death of motorcycle courier José Victor Miranda, 30.
This Tuesday (5) Lelis’ lawyer, Arlei da Costa, from the AC Criminal office, was at the police station responsible for the investigation and presented documents such as boarding passes and a report from a taxi company that transported Lelis from Santos Dumont airport to his residence, in a neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
The man’s cell phone was also presented. According to Costa, the signs confirmed that he was in Rio de Janeiro at the time of the fight, which took place on the Fernão Dias highway, near Mairiporã.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office, which had agreed with the arrest request, accepted the evidence presented and was in favor of the revocation.
The defense pointed to an error in facial recognition as a factor in placing the Palmeiras native among those involved in the confusion. Lelis is the only black man of the eight members of Mancha who had a 30-day temporary arrest ordered by the courts.
Sought on Monday to comment on the lawyer’s allegation, the SSP denied that Lelis had been identified through facial recognition. “The identification is the result of the investigation and intelligence work carried out by the Police Department for the Suppression of Offenses of Sports Intolerance. Together with others involved in the case, he was arrested by the Court and is wanted by the specialized team”, stated the department in note.
According to Arlei da Costa, the delegate responsible for the investigation stated, during a conversation this Tuesday, that there was no use of technology in the possible recognition of Lelis.
Of the eight fans ordered to be arrested, only one was arrested. He was located on Friday (1st) in Freguesia do Ó, in the north of the capital.
