This Monday, the Public Ministry (MP) requested the conviction of Fernando Madureira and eight other defendants accused of attacking PSP agents, who were protecting Benfica fans, before a roller hockey match in 2018.
The case, which is being judged at the Bolhão Court, in Porto, has nine defendants, including Madureira, leader of the Super Dragões cheerleader, Hugo Carneiro, known as ‘Polaco’ — both in preventive detention as part of ‘Operation Praetorian’ -, and seven other elements, accused of the crime of participating in a fight in the context of a sporting spectacle.
In the final arguments, the MP’s prosecutor asked for the sentencing of all the defendants, some to effective prison sentences, but without specifying names, admitting that, in relation to the primary defendants (without criminal records), the sentences could be suspended or replaced by the payment of fine.
The judge maintained that the defendants acted “in co-authorship and in common efforts”, highlighting “the seriousness of the facts, the turmoil created and the number of participants” in the fight, which, according to the MP’s accusation, involved the throwing of stones and of torches against police officers, who were protecting Benfica fans who arrived at the Dragão Metro station, to watch the roller hockey game, in April 2018, at Pavilhão Dragão Caixa.
For the MP prosecutor, the testimonies of the PSP agents and the video surveillance images “disprove” the versions presented in the trial by Fernando Madureira and three other defendants — five remained silent -, according to which they had nothing to do with with the fight, as they were handing out tickets when they realized “the confusion created next to the metro”.
The MP emphasizes that the witnesses placed “all the defendants” at the scene of the fight, remembering that one of the police officers was hit in the face by a stone thrown by the group.
Fernando Madureira’s lawyer, who attended the session via videoconference from the prison where he is in preventive detention, pointed out “inconsistencies” in the statements of the police officers, maintaining that there was no type of premeditation or “moral co-authorship” on the part of the your client.
Gonçalo Cerejeira Namora stressed that nothing could be proven against his constituent, as he had nothing to do with the facts at trial, adding that Madureira was distributing around 600 tickets for the roller hockey game.
In this sense, the lawyer fought for the acquittal of his constituent.
Hugo ‘Polaco”s lawyer also asked for the acquittal of his client and another defendant, denying the participation of his constituents in the feud, but admitted the conviction of two other defendants, who admitted their intervention in the facts, but with penalties of fine, because, he said, they are both primary.
The remaining defenses also asked for the acquittal of their respective constituents.
The sentence reading was scheduled for May 23, at 9:30 am.
On trial are alleged attacks on Benfica fans and PSP agents committed before a roller hockey game, in 2018, near the Estádio do Dragão and the FC Porto pavilion
