Entities want to change the jurisdiction of the trial of the deaths of Bruno and Dom

In acts that marked the one year since the death of British journalist Dom Philips and indigenist Bruno Pereira this Monday (05), organizations and members of the socio-environmental agenda asked for speed in the judgments and change of the forum in which the process takes place in Federal Justice.

“It is necessary for society to know that the Tabatinga region is very vulnerable, it is a region of difficult access and very precarious technology”, explained Katia Brasil, journalist and founder of Amazônia Real, in an interview with CNN Brasil. “For journalists to cover this trial, for example, in Tabatinga, it will be very difficult”.

Currently, the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF1) is judging the case in which Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, Osney da Costa de Oliveira and Jefferson da Silva Lima are defendants. They are imprisoned in federal prisons and answer in court for the crimes of double qualified homicide and concealment of a corpse.

The process takes place in Vara de Tabatinga, which is more than 1,106 km away from Manaus.

According to a complaint made by the Federal Public Ministry, Amarildo, “Pelado”, and Jefferson, “Pelado da Dinha”, confessed their involvement in the death of the journalist and the indigenist. Witness testimonies also confirmed the participation of Osney, known as “Dos Santos”.

The process involving the three had to be postponed twice, including due to internet connection problems so that the accused could give testimonies remotely, since they are in federal prisons. Although witnesses and the accused themselves have been heard, the process is again in the investigation phase. That is, after authorization by TRF1, new hearings of more witnesses were determined so that the defendants could be heard again.

Sought, the defense of the three did not comment on the updates in the process.

However, an investigation by the Federal Police had already pointed out who was considered the true mastermind of the murders: Rubens Villar Coelho, known as “Colombia”. In January 2023, the PF reported that “Colombia” would be the mastermind of the crimes, but waited four months to gather evidence to then carry out the indictment of murder and concealment of a corpse.

Colombia is already a defendant in court for an illegal fishing scheme in the Indigenous Land of Vale do Javari, following a complaint made by the Federal Public Ministry against Rubens Villar Coelho and nine other people. Another complaint by the agency resulted in Colombia being convicted of using a false document, sentenced to 2 years in prison.

To date, no one has been convicted of the murders of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips.

CNN Brasil approached the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the new indictment against Colombia and is awaiting a response.

The expectation is that, after the instruction phase, the process against Osney, Amarildo and Jefferson will go to the popular jury. Therefore, organizations and members of civil society ask for the possible jury to be transferred to the capital of Amazonas.

“Justice, the National Council of Justice and the Federal Supreme Court need to understand that this logistics needs to be improved”, says Katia Brasil. “The forum in Manaus would be much more accessible for all of us to be able to carry out coverage and for the judgment to happen quickly.”

The report contacted TRF1 and is waiting for a response on the possibility of transferring the judgment.