DILI, 25 october 2022 (TATOLI) – The owner of the New Generation travel agency has been placed under house arrest following a trial by the Dili District Court (TDD).
According to his lawyer, Eustaquio Guterres, there is still no conclusive evidence that the suspect is involved in cases of human trafficking and kidnapping, so his identity must be safeguarded. For now, only the initials “FFX” are revealed.
“The order of the first interrogation resulted in the application of the house of arrest, which involves a periodic presentation to the authorities once a week since the prosecution did not present sufficient evidence to the court for my client to be charged with crimes of human trafficking and kidnapping,” Guterres said.
He said that the crime of human trafficking involves several stages, from kidnapping to subjugation and captivity to forcibly sending someone to an irregularly paid job for the benefit of the offenders.
“FXX is not involved in these crimes because his agency is legal and operates under existing regulations. He sent people abroad because he was asked for help through his agency. He did not recruit anyone,” he defended.
Guterres said he was satisfied with the court’s decision, as there was insufficient evidence to put his client on remand.
In this judicial process, prosecutor Lídia Soares represented the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the trial was presided over by judge Álvaro Maria.
Last week, the Police executed Court’s warrant to arrest FFX at his residence in Taibessi, East of Dili.
FFX was arrested for allegedly being connected to the illegal sending of Timorese to Portugal. It was alleged that the suspect was directly involved in sending young Timorese looking for jobs abroad and that each of them had been said to deposit US$3,000 into the suspect’s account before traveling to Portugal.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia B.
