Suspension of PSP Officer Accused of Homicide: What You Need to Know

Overview

The PSP officer accused of the homicide of Odair Moniz will be suspended during the trial phase. This decision comes after a request from the Public Prosecutor's Office, which was accepted by the Amadora Court.

Photo: RTP

Details of the Case

The officer remains on medical leave and was previously subject to a term of identity and residence, a standard precautionary measure for any defendant. The family's lawyer requested that this measure be intensified to preventive or domiciliary detention; however, this request was rejected.

During a hearing at the Amadora Court, the officer declined to make a statement. In the accusation filed last January, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested not only the term of identity and residence but also a suspension from duties within the PSP due to a high possibility of public order disturbances.

The accused officer had been on medical leave and had no set date to return to work. It is known that he was transferred from the police station where he was involved in the shooting of Odair Moniz on October 21, 2024.

According to the accusation, Odair Moniz, a 43-year-old Cape Verdean citizen living in the neighboring Bairro do Zambujal, attempted to flee and resisted arrest, but there was no evidence of any threat involving a bladed weapon. This contradicts the official statement from the National Directorate of the PSP, claiming that Moniz attempted to attack officers with a knife.

Next Steps

The next phase of this case will be the trial, as the defense has decided not to request an instruction opening. Ricardo Serrano Vieira, the officer's lawyer, stated, "After reviewing the case, we believe the process should proceed to trial."

Additionally, the Public Prosecutor's Office has requested the extraction of a certificate for an independent investigation into the alleged forgery of the PSP's report, citing inconsistencies and inaccuracies regarding its authorship and the times it was created.