According to Zola Bambi, following the trial that began at 2pm on Tuesday, lasting until close to 11pm, activists Adolfo Campos, Gilson da Silva Moreira “Tanaice Neutro”, Hermenegildo André “Gildo das Ruas” and Abraão Pedro Santos, also known as “Daniel Pensador”, the latter a journalist and one of the organizers of the demonstration.
All were found guilty of the crimes of outraging and insulting the President of the Republic.
“In the room, the judge announced three convicts and we replied again, asking her to confirm us. He told us 'three convicts', but once in his office, they called the clerk and said that there were four convicts, and the four remained, as stated in the minutes", said Zola Bambi, speaking to Lusa.
The lawyer said he will appeal the decision, “because there was no sustainability, there were no reasons, there was no evidence, for them to be convicted”.
The activists, who were already detained, will remain in that condition, awaiting a response to the appeal against the decision.
The other protesters who were tried were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
“There was no consistency in the accusation, there were no elements that could prove it. And those [who were convicted] are a matter of discrimination, because they were convicted for being activists and a journalist. The others were not, being in the same situation, under the same conditions, simply because they were not considered activists”, she highlighted.
For the defense, the fact that they were activists was the criterion used by the court to convict their constituents, as there were no other facts or evidence.
“The court used the expression a lot that [they] used insulting words and that they are repeat offenders, and it turns out that the process itself was based on disobedience and resistance, that has nothing to do with it,” said Zola Bâmbi, arguing that it was necessary prove disobedience and resistance.
“They were even caught on the ground, all of which did not support the conviction,” as the decision must be based on the evidence, she added.
The lawyer said he has 20 days to appeal the decision, but he will submit the appeal request today.
The demonstration aimed to protest against the limitations that the Government of the Province of Luanda imposed on the circulation of motorcycle taxi drivers on the main roads in Luanda, but did not have the support of associations in the sector, with only activists attending.
