In the final arguments of a jury trial at the Portimão Courthouse, the Public Prosecutor’s office has requested an 11-year prison sentence for Igor Lopes, 40, who is currently in pre-trial detention, while seeking the acquittal of Aldair Silva, 43, who remains free.
Both men face charges of qualified homicide and failure to assist the businessman, owner of a Berlin ball factory where the crimes occurred, located in Patã de Baixo, Albufeira.
Defense attorneys have sought acquittal for the accused, with Igor Lopes’s defense invoking the ‘in dubio pro reo’ principle, which stems from the constitutional presumption of innocence that dictates, in cases of doubt, the court should rule in favor of the defendant.
Last April, at the start of the trial, the Public Prosecutor suggested the defendants had developed a plan to steal money from the factory where Aldair Silva was employed, which had a daily turnover between 10,000 and 15,000 euros.
According to the prosecution, the defendants entered the establishment intending to seize “a monetary amount,” where they encountered José de Sousa, a 66-year-old businessman, ultimately resulting in his death.
They allegedly took 16,000 euros along with various objects.
During closing arguments, the prosecutor explained the request for conviction, stating that “it might be difficult” for the court to conclude that the defendants had acted with the intent to kill.
The verdict is scheduled to be announced at 14:00 at the Portimão Courthouse in the Faro district.
