Four police officers face trial for alleged crimes of illegal deprivation of liberty and torture in the suburb of Guayaquil.
The hearing for the alleged human rights violations was set up in the North Judicial Unit on Tuesday, February 8.
On the first day of the hearing, Víctor LJ, the complainant in the case, stated that the police had tried to get him to admit that he was a person with addiction problems or a drug dealer while he was being tortured in a Community Police Unit (UPC) in that populous sector. The Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
On January 27, 2015, according to the story, Víctor had finished his work day and was on his way to a soccer field in the linear park located at 28th and O’Connors streets. Before arriving at the sports area, two police officers, Geovanny MV and Washington VV, approached him under suspicion that he was a drug user and seller in the area.
He was apprehended despite not carrying any substance and without apparent justification, said the Prosecutor’s Office, based on the judicial documentation of the case.
Without disclosing her rights or the reasons for her arrest, the victim was taken to a Community Police Unit (UPC) far from the place and put at the disposal of a captain identified as Lenin PU, it was indicated.
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There, in the meeting room of the UPC, the captain began an interrogation to verify if he was a consumer or a seller in the midst of intimidation. The Prosecutor’s Office added that, based on the victim’s testimony, he received several blows, one of those with a baton from which he protected himself with his left hand; in addition to electric shocks in various parts of the body.
All of this occurred in the presence of policeman Richard AL in that meeting room. After all this scene of torture, two other subordinate gendarmes entered the room and informed the captain that Víctor worked in a restaurant.
“Only then did he leave him alone and send his driver to the pharmacy for a vial and ice to ease the pain. Then, the captain took him in the patrol car to the cevichería and promised the owners of the premises to financially recognize the injuries caused to the victim. However, that did not happen, “said the Prosecutor’s Office about what was said by the affected person.
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During the proceeding, the Human Rights Prosecutor, Ángel Cujilema Daga, presented his argument detailing the elements collected throughout the investigation, which would presume the participation and authorship of Geovanny MV, Second Sergeant, and Washington VV, Corporal. second (at the time of the facts), as presumed responsible for the crime of illegal deprivation of liberty.
In addition, he indicated that he will present the evidence that determines that Police Major Lenin PU would be the author of the crime of torture; and Richard AL, First Corporal, as default author.
The prosecutor pointed out that during the trial stage he will demonstrate that Víctor LJ was apprehended, interrogated and tortured for considering him, without being one, a drug user.
Reinstatement
For now, the judges are expected to determine a new date and time for the hearing and their respective notification to the procedural parties for the reinstatement of the proceeding.
COIP
The public servant who illegally deprives a person of his liberty may be punished with a sentence of one to three years’ imprisonment. The sanction can rise from three to five years if the public servant orders the deprivation of liberty of a person in places other than those designated for this purpose by current regulations, details article 160 of the Organic Comprehensive Criminal Code (COIP).
The crime of torture can be punished with a sentence of five to thirteen years in prison, according to article 151 of the same legal body. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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