Jefferson França da Costa Figueiredo was arrested in the act, on January 9, 2023, in front of the Army Headquarters, in Brasília
The minister of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) Alexandre de Moraes acquitted and ordered the release, this Monday (6 January 2025), of a homeless man who had been arrested for alleged involvement in the acts of January 8th.
Jefferson França da Costa Figueiredo was arrested red-handed on January 9, 2023 in front of the Army Headquarters, in Brasília, after Moraes ordered the evacuation of camps near general headquarters and other military units across the country.
He was granted freedom days later, but had to return to prison after failing to comply with precautionary measures. He was imprisoned in the Andradina Penitentiary, in São Paulo.
To determine the man’s release, Moraes understood that there is no evidence that he was involved in undemocratic acts.
“There is no evidence that the accused was part of the criminal association, either by rioting in the camp erected near the Army HQ, or in any other way contributing to the incitement of crimes and the regimentation of people”stated in the decision.
In the records, it appears that Figueiredo’s defense claimed that he is a “wanderer” and would have gone to the camp on January 6 of that year just “to feed”since meals were distributed in these locations.
In his interrogation, the homeless man also stated that “I was just getting food, as I live on the street”.
“Despite the materiality of the crime, in the context of multitudinous crimes, being proven in the records, with regard to the criminal authorship, it has not been sufficiently demonstrated, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant JEFERSON FRANÇA DA COSTA FIGUEIREDO participated intentionally, as as an inciter, for the consummation of the crimes now considered”says Moraes.
This is the 5th acquittal among the actions of January 8th that are being processed by the STF. To date, the Court has sentenced 371 people and signed 527 non-criminal prosecution agreements.
