Tensions and strengthening of the police at the beginning of the investigation into the death of the fan Igor Silva

This Wednesday, Porto’s Criminal Investigation Court (TIC) is investigating the murder of Igor Silva, a fan who died in clashes near the Dragão stadium during the 2021/22 championship celebrations.

Security at the TIC has been tightened due to problems between Igor Silva’s friends and relatives of Marco “Orelhas”. Some members of the Special Police Unit, PSP agents, and the Intervention and Prison Security Team are stationed inside and outside the court.

Before the start of training, there were moments of tension between the wife and daughter of Marco “Orelhas” and friends of Igor Silva.

The start of the debate stalled as Marco Gonçalves believes that Igor Silva’s mother should not be represented by lawyer Nelson Sousa, since this lawyer has already represented Ears in another case, but the judge saw no reason to remove the lawyer from the process and, therefore, the session can begin in this Wednesday.

The judge began by hearing Carlos Rosa, better known as “Honai”, who denies any involvement in the death of Igor Silva.

“It’s impossible, I was his friend. I saw how Igor grew up,” he said.

Jonai also stated that he is not a Porto fan and assured that he was at the celebration only at the request of his girlfriend. “I didn’t know that there were conflicts between Igor and Marco’s family,” he added.

“I was walking down the Alameda with my girlfriend and at that moment I got a call from Diogo (another defendant). It was at this point that all the confusion happened. I was just trying to separate the swearing girls,” he continued.

The defendant claims that he did not see Igor Silva at the scene, but only saw people running. “Honai” says he later saw Marco Gonçalves asking for a shirt because he was “all cut up” and “bleeding from his back.”

Faced with footage of the process showing movement near the Dragau Stadium, Carlos Rosa burst into tears, saying: “I couldn’t sleep for over a year, I didn’t do anything. It has no legs or head. I was disabled.” The person involved in the case also said that at the time of leaving the stadium, he did not know about anyone’s death.

The judge stated that Carlos Rosa is lying in his testimony and does not tell everything he saw and knew about the crime.

Augusta Souza, Igor’s mother, has a sweater with her son’s name and a picture of a crown.

The prosecutor states that the instruction did not bring any new evidence that could change the content of the indictment, and asks that all the accused be tried and convicted for the crimes already contained in the indictment.

Igor’s mother’s lawyer argues that Orelkhas’ wife and daughter should be tried for murder. “They call, they start with everything, they don’t let Igor help. Isn’t there an active participation in the murder? Obviously, there is,” says Nelson Souza. Both women are already defendants in the attack on a young girl at the Dragau stadium.

Lawyer Luisa Macanho, who defends Rui “Dentinho”, emphasizes that Igor “was not the blessed saint who appears here in this process.” He says that the 26-year-old man was on trial and that some of the defendants are also victims. As for Rui “Dentinho”, he notes that there is not a single image of him at the scene of the crime. The lawyer asks not to judge Dentinho. He says it would be an “unfair and disproportionate” act.

Lawyer for Paulo Cardoso “Chanfra”, son-in-law of the Ears, says there are not enough facts to charge him with murder. That only two witnesses indicate his presence at the crime scene, and that one of them even mentions that Paulo was surprised to see the state Igor was in. Now the lawyer asks to reconsider the measure of coercion. The defendant has been in jail for over a year.

“We are talking about a very serious crime, but to put someone on trial in a public square, to put someone to be considered a murderer, although he was not one, is also very serious,” says Carlos Rosa Cristian’s lawyer Carvalho Flight.

Marisa and Yara, the wife and daughter of Marco Gonçalves, complained to PSP that they were threatened this Wednesday by relatives of Igor Silva. They claim they received death threats.

Poliana Ribeiro, who defends Marisa and Iara, says the demand for two women to be tried for murder is absurd.

The judge’s decision will be communicated by mail before Sunday so that Renato Gonçalves is not released.

26-year-old Igor was attacked and received 18 stab wounds. The indictment states that the author of the stabbing was the son of Marco “Ears” Renato Gonçalves. The crime was motivated by long-standing conflicts between the victim and the accused.

The mother of the deceased demands that both the wife and the daughter of “Orelkhas” be tried for the death of her son, as she understands that they actively participated in a violent crime.

The instructions stage allows defendants to challenge the charge. In total, eight people are accused of Igor’s death.