José Miguel Araujo, 28, was already arrested by Braga judicial police last week. He was released due to a strike by the bailiffs, which prevented him from being subjected to the first judicial examination within the 48 hours required by law. This Wednesday, he was again arrested by court order and immediately brought before the judge of the court of Ponte da Barca. He wept when he heard the investigating judge issue a preventive detention order. He is already in prison in Braga.
The arsonist, described by the director of the PS in Braga as one of the “biggest arsonists in the country,” has been charged with 20 wildfire-related crimes in the past five months. But the investigation has no doubt that the builder was the author of more than a hundred forest fires that have occurred in the municipality of Ponte da Barca in recent years.
José Miguel, known by the nickname “Vila Nova”, claimed responsibility for several fires attributed to him. The latest fire broke out in the parish of Tuvedo S. Salvador on August 28, endangering dozens of homes and even a sanctuary. The fire destroyed about a hundred hectares of forest. While searching the suspect’s car on the 30th, when he was first arrested, a police officer seized seven lighters that he had used to start the fire.
Author: Fatima Vilasa
Source: CM Jornal
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