A joint operation by the Attorney General’s Office, the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro and the Federal Police arrested this Sunday (24) three suspects of being behind the murder of councilwoman Marielle Franco, in March 2018.
Domingos Brazão, current advisor to the State Court of Auditors, Chiquinho Brazão, federal deputy from Rio de Janeiro, and Rivaldo Barbosa, former head of Rio’s Civil Police, were arrested.
In addition to the three arrests, according to g1, 12 search and seizure warrants were issued at the Rio Civil Police headquarters and at the State Court of Auditors. Agents seized documents and took electronics for forensic examination.
Investigators are still working to define the motivation for the crime. From what is already known, the reason has to do with the territorial expansion of the militia in Rio.
Investigators decided to carry out the operation early this Sunday to surprise the suspects. Police intelligence information indicated that they had already been on alert in recent days, after the Federal Supreme Court (STF) approves the plea bargain of former military police officer Ronnie Lessa.
Upon accepting the collaboration agreement with the PF, Lessa identified who the masterminds were and also indicated the motivation for the crime.
Lessa has been in prison since 2019, accused of being one of the perpetrators of the crime.
The principals, according to the former PM, are part of a powerful political group in Rio with various interests in different sectors of the State. The former PM gave details of meetings with them and clues about their motivations.
