The Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) has requested a 12 year prison sentence for the man accused of murdering his landlord in Albufeira in 2024, with the defense arguing that the death was accidental.
See previous article: https://algarvedailynews.com/news/25615-man-accused-of-killing-landlord-in-albufeira-denies-intent-to-kill
In the closing arguments of the trial that took place in Portimão this week, the Public Prosecutor's Office understood that Diogo Zorrinho, 27 years old, in preventive detention, acted with "intent to kill" when stabbing the victim in the back, asking for a single sentence of 12 years in prison.
The defendant's defense argued that the death occurred "without intent" and following an altercation between the two, asking the court that the "fatal accident" be considered "as self-defense or excessive self-defense", after the victim tried to attack Diogo Zorrinho.
The defendant is charged with simple homicide for the death of Joaquim Braz, 77 years old, with whom he had a contractual relationship, resulting from the lease of a pastry shop in the city of Albufeira.
The defendant was initially charged with the crimes of qualified homicide, desecration of a corpse, qualified theft and damage with violence, crimes that were dropped during the investigation phase of the case.
At trial, the defendant explained that he was "half his rent in arrears," having sent a message to Joaquim Braz arranging a meeting at the establishment to settle the debt, after the landlord had questioned him several times and threatened to take the case to court.
According to the indictment, the facts date back to June 2024, when Diogo Zorrinho met Joaquim Braz at the establishment and, inside the office, the two had an argument, with the defendant, armed with a knife, striking the victim in the neck, hitting the aorta.
Zorrinho told the court that inside the establishment and during an argument, he avoided a punch thrown by the landlord, while at the same time attacking Joaquim Braz with a punch to the face that threw him against a table.
Afterwards, he added, the landlord grabbed a knife that was on a table and tried to attack him with it, but he avoided the attack and took the knife from the man's hand, claiming that the blow that killed Joaquim Braz was the result of both of them falling onto a sofa.
However, the MP stated that it had “no doubt” that the defendant “decided to take the life” of the owner of the establishment, considering it “unlikely” that the injury occurred in self-defense, “due to the height, age and physical build of both” and because the scene did not show “traces of a struggle”.
Furthermore, he says, after the fatal blow was struck, the defendant sent a message to the victim's cell phone, implying that they were still trying to resolve the issue of outstanding rent.
The reading of the ruling is scheduled for September 17th, at 1:30 pm.
