The ruling delivered today by a panel of judges led by Judge Pedro Frias has established that the defendant acted with intent when he stabbed his 77-year-old landlord and not in self-defense, as argued in the initial court session.
The conviction for aggravated homicide also relies on the differing statements the defendant made during the initial judicial interrogation and the trial, alleging that the victim had fallen onto the knife during a dispute between them.
In view of the crime’s “facts and circumstances,” the court imposed a sentence of 16 years for homicide and two years for possession of a prohibited weapon, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 17.5 years in prison.
The court “formed its conviction” by concluding that the self-defense claim invoked by 27-year-old Diogo Zorrinho, who had rented a café to the victim in Albufeira, Faro district, was “implausible.”
The defendant, who was indebted to the landlord, claimed he had arranged the meeting to allegedly resolve the issue, but the court deemed this explanation “implausible,” considering he had other intentions.
For the Portimão Court, the defendant could never explain the reason for their argument, statements that failed to convince the judges, given the physical disparity between the defendant and the victim.
The court also found that Diogo Zorrinho, by covering the body with plastic bags, was attempting to “conceal the facts,” underpinning its decision on objects found at the crime scene, including an axe and ropes.
The defendant was indicted for a simple homicide in the death of Joaquim Braz, and during the final arguments, the Public Prosecutor had requested a single sentence of 12 years in prison.
Initially, the defendant faced charges of qualified homicide, desecration of a corpse, aggravated theft, and violent damage, accusations that were dropped during the case’s instruction phase.
The events date back to June 2024, when Diogo Zorrinho welcomed Joaquim Braz to the establishment, and inside the office, they had a dispute during which the defendant, armed with a knife, delivered a blow to the neck area, striking the victim’s aorta.
