Investigation opened against witness in death of tax auditor shot in Franca (SP)
The Civil Police confirmed the opening of an investigation into a witness in the case of tax auditor Adriano Oliveira, who was shot dead by dentist Samir Moussa in March.
Police investigate witness in murder of tax auditor in Franca
The Civil Police of Franca (SP) confirmed on Thursday (29) the establishment of a criminal investigation to look into a witness linked to the murder of tax auditor Adriano Willian de Oliveira, shot in March of this year. According to g1.globo.com, the decision responds to a request from judge José Rodrigues Arimatéa.
The magistrate had issued on 21 September a new preventive detention warrant against dentist Samir Panice Moussa — the principal defendant in the case. At that time, Arimatéa indicated suspicions that Moussa knew precisely where the victim was at the moment of the crime and that he maintained telephone contact with a woman before and after the shooting.
"The fact that the accused knew where the victim was at the moment of the crime, if that encounter was not casual, leaving only one possible answer, namely that someone informed the accused where the victim was," wrote the judge in the order.
Call records point to collusion
The judge based the suspicions on the telephone records of the victim's, the accused's and the witness's mobile phones. The data show that the woman maintained telephone contact with Adriano and with Moussa in the moments before the crime and that, after the murder, she spoke with the dentist again.
"The suspicion grew when the call records of the mobile phones of the victim, the accused and the witness came before the court, showing that some collusion had occurred," stated Arimatéa.
The magistrate further added that Moussa is alleged to have stated, in a record of a correctional inspection visit to the Franca Penitentiary, that he would kill that same witness. For Arimatéa, if the dentist were released, the accused and witness could coordinate their versions to deceive the court. The witness remains at liberty. g1.globo.com indicated it attempted to locate the woman's legal defence on Thursday morning.
STJ authorised release, but judge issued new warrant
Moussa has been in custody since 12 March, the date on which he confessed to the crime, according to the Military Police. At the end of that same month, the court had made the dentist a defendant for qualified homicide.
The new preventive detention warrant arose following a decision by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) which had authorised the release of the defendant due to lack of grounds for detention. The Sixth Panel of the STJ permitted, however, that the first instance judge request new preventive detention provided it was properly justified — which Arimatéa did immediately.
In the order, the magistrate argued that Moussa needs to remain detained to guarantee the correct criminal proceedings, citing beyond the contacts with the witness a simulation of suicide that occurred in prison. "The preventive detention of the accused is necessary to guarantee the correct criminal proceedings, including at trial, and to guarantee the application of criminal law, however, based on the truth as close as possible to the real," issued Arimatéa.
Crime recorded by security cameras
The murder occurred near a bar on Avenida Major Nicácio, in Franca. Images from security cameras captured the moment when Adriano entered a white pickup truck parked in front of a commercial establishment. Then Moussa approached, opened the vehicle door, fired the shots and fled on foot.
The shots struck Adriano's torso and head, and he died at the scene. Prosecutor Odilon Nery Comodaro stated in the indictment to the court that the dentist's actions made the victim's defence difficult or impossible, since Oliveira was caught by surprise.
Based on the images, the Military Police identified and detained Moussa. According to the PM, the dentist confessed to the crime and also indicated the place where he kept the weapon used, which was seized.
Divergent versions on the motive
The Military Police indicated that Moussa acted motivated by jealousy of his ex-wife, from whom he had been separated for around a year and who maintained a relationship with Adriano. According to the police, the victim had filed a complaint against the suspect for harassment at the end of 2021.
The defence lawyer, Linda Luiza Johnlei Wu, contested that version. According to Wu, the dentist alleged that he himself was being threatened and persecuted by Adriano, who did not accept the couple's attempts at reconciliation. The lawyer further added that Moussa did not end up filing a complaint, as the alleged threats are said to have begun only at the end of last year.
Source: RTP