JOÃO RELVAS/LUSA
Ana Patrícia Moniz (L), Odair Moniz’s wife, accompanied by her lawyer, Semedo Fernandes (R), upon arrival for the start of the trial of the PSP agent accused of Odair Moniz’s murder.
Judges understood that the agent Bruno Pinto did not act out of prejudice and there was no hate crime. The issue of the convict’s return to the PSP was left in the hands of the PSP itself.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office will appeal the conviction of three years and six months suspended sentence of the police officer who killed Odair Moniz in Cova da Moura, Amadora, said the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) this Wednesday.
In a response sent to Lusa, the PGR said that “the Public Ministry will appeal” the decision read on Monday, at the Sintra Court, which imposed a suspended sentence of three years and six months for the crime of homicide that took place in October 2024.
According to the ruling to which Lusa had access, the collective led by judge Ana Sequeira understood that the agent Bruno Pinto did not act out of prejudiceruling out the hypothesis of a hate crime and that the police only wanted to “make a legitimate arrest” and that, at the moment Odair Moniz was shot by two shots fired by the officer, he only wanted to guarantee “protection from a current and illicit aggression” on the part of the victim.
“We are not, it is important to highlight and make it clear, in the face of a hate crime”added the collective of judges.
If on the one hand, agent Bruno Pinto killed Odair Moniz, the court also said, on the other hand “the circumstantiality of his action mitigates its worthlessness, its illegality, since the defendant acted to defend himself in a situation of great tension and difficulty, even for a police officer”.
Regarding the existence of a knife, in addition to the presiding judge Ana Sequeira having said during the reading of the decision that it was not proven that Odair had such an object with him, the judgment was clear: “In the moment immediately before the shots that hit him, Odair did not put his hand on his waist, nor did he wield any blade or knife against the accused.”
Despite not having been sentenced to actual prison, agent Bruno Pinto was ordered to pay a total of 90 thousand euros in compensation: R$30,000 to Odair Moniz’s three heirs for the loss of the right to life, R$20,000 to Odair Moniz’s widow and R$40,000 to Odair Moniz’s two children for moral damages. The police officer will still have to pay a pension of 220 euros for one of the children of Odair Moniz until he turned 18.
The issue of the convict’s return to the PSP was in the hands of the PSP itself, which said it was awaiting formal knowledge of the ruling to decide on the possible return of the agent, who until then had suspended his duties as a measure of coercion.
Protest in Lisbon
The Vida Justa Movement “does not accept an unfair sentence” and has scheduled a protest action for June 20th, next Saturday, at 5pm in Largo de São Domingos.
