Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) closed the investigation into the death of the former mayor of Santa Catarina (Santiago Island) José Alves Fernandes, as it had collected sufficient evidence that there was no crime, confirming the theory of suicide.
José Alves Fernandes, 44 years old, mayor re-elected in the elections of October 25, 2020, passed away on December 24, 2020, in the central hospital of Praia, where he was in intensive care, after being transferred from the Santa Rita Vieira Regional Hospital, in Santa Catarina, after being found with a bullet in his head, at his residence, on December 22, 2020, in Assomada.
In the statement published on its Facebook page, the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) recalls that having received information from the National Police (PN) that the former mayor “had been the victim of a gunshot” , immediately ordered the opening of the criminal investigation at the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the District of Santa Catarina (Santiago), with the carrying out of several steps with a view to discovering the material truth, namely those of preserving evidence.
The same source adds that after the judicial investigation, which focused mainly on expert and forensic examinations, namely IT, analysis of open and conditional access video surveillance images, medico-legal, ballistics, DNA, reconstruction of the scene and inspection judiciary, as well as using photographic analysis and analysis of banking and telecommunications information, the Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the closure of the investigation.
In the decision, the PGR states “that the circumstances of José Alves Fernandes’ death were due to a voluntary act carried out by the person who decided to commit suicide using his firearm”.
“In view of the above, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, under the terms of article 315.o, no. 1, of the criminal procedure code, ended the archiving of the instruction because it had collected sufficient evidence that a crime had not occurred”, reads the document .
The records, according to the same source, are available for consultation at the PGR by “anyone who reveals a legitimate interest in it” (…), since the process is no longer under judicial secrecy (…) .
Born in the town of Engenhos, Santa Catarina, Beto Alves, aged 44, lived in Achada Riba, city of Assomada and before entering political affairs he was a teacher and trainer.
Graduated in Political Science (State and Public Administration branch) from the Lusófona University of Humanities and Technologies of Lisbon, with a postgraduate degree in Local Authorities Law, he was director of Sanitation and Inspection, as well as director of Environment and Sanitation, during his term of office by Francisco Tavares from 2008 -2012.
From 2012 to 2016 he served as councilor for the Department of Water, Energy, Environment, Sanitation and Civil Protection, also serving as president of the board of directors of the now extinct Autonomous Water and Sanitation Service of Santa Catarina (SAAS).
In 2016, he was elected president of the Santa Catarina City Council, having renewed his mandate in the last elections on October 25, 2020 by the Movement for Democracy (MpD) lists. The Week with Inforpress
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