In the human trafficking network that began to be tried on Monday in Beja, there is a couple who are at the two antagonistic poles of the process. The man is a defendant and has already been arrested preventively and the woman is a victim and witness for the prosecution. The two have already been victims of exploitation in Portugal.
Cristian, M., of 29 year old, by Sevtlana M, of 33 year old, arrived in our country, arriving from Moldova at the beginning of 2020, having gone to work on a farm in Casa Branca, municipality of Sousel and together with four compatriots and a month and a half later they were the target of labor exploitation by another Moldovan citizen. The victims went to the Avis Territorial Post, where they filed a complaint against the contractor and suspected of exploiting them, Madalin Malacu.
After this situation, the couple went to live in a village in the municipality of Beja, until in the early morning of the day 23 November 2022, the man was detained in the mega-operation carried out by the PJ's National Counterterrorism Unit, aimed at combating human trafficking, leading to the arrest of 51 people, the overwhelming majority of citizens from the East in the municipalities of Beja, Cuba, Serpa and Ferreira do Alentejo.
Heard on first interrogation, Cristian was in pre-trial detention until last day 23 March, date on which the Criminal Investigation judge of the Cuban Court, promoted the delivery of the Instructive Decision, in which the defendant left the Lisbon Prison (EPL) becoming subject to the obligation of daily presentations to the Criminal Police Body (OPC) of the residence, ban on leaving the country and surrender of passport. Like all the other defendants who began to be tried at the Beja Court, is accused of a crime of criminal association and 7 trafficking offenses people.
For her part, Svetlana, according to the indictment of the case, were promised 40 euros a day and lived in a house with ten other people, including your partner, and the value of the house rent was deducted from the salary, water and light. He is nominated as a witness for the prosecution.
To the lawyer representing Cristian, justified that “just as he left prison with the opening of the, let's prove that it has nothing to do with this process. One is a defendant and the other is a victim, sign that something is not right. I believe he will be acquitted.”, maintained Pedro Pestana.
Regarding the complaint made to GNR de Avis, by Cristian and Sevtlana, has learned the Lidador News, the process is handed over to DIAP de Fronteira, where after four years he remains suspended and without charges being filed.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
