The entrepreneur Laerte Codonhoowner of the factory Dolly sodashe was sentenced to 11 years, 10 months and 4 days in prison for active corruption, falsification of document and environmental crime. The decision was issued by the 4th Court of Itapecerica da Serra (SP) and released on Friday (14).
In addition to Codonho, seven others were also convicted in the first instance. The sentence still fits resources. Judge Djalma Moreira Gomes Júnior rejected the businessman’s request to replace the arrest for alternative measures, such as the electronic anklet, and determined that he pays a fine.
The prosecutor’s complaint against Codonho was received by the São Paulo Court of Justice in April 2019. The case involves environmental damage caused by his company, Stockback, on a land located on the Regis Bitencourt highway, in São Lourenço da Serra (SP). The land, according to the process, is a permanent preservation area, and any modification on site would require authorization from the responsible environmental agency.
In addition, the prosecution states that Laerte Codonho would have offered bribes to public servants to avoid punishments for deforestation of the area. The process mentions that those involved in the crime were warned in advance about a police operation in the region, being oriented to suspend deforestation temporarily.
Codonho’s defense argues that the process should be annulled for violation of the accused’s rights and lack of evidence about his participation in crimes. According to the lawyers, the charges are based on a generic approach and do not prove Laerte’s connection with illegal acts.
According to CNN, the defense of Laerte Codonho He said he will appeal the sentence and believes that the São Paulo Court of Justice will revise the conviction. The defense also argues that the conviction for falsification of documents was improper, since the graphical expertise did not point out its authorship, and questions the accusation of environmental crime, as the works on the ground were authorized and ongoing, with agreement by the Public Prosecution Service.
