Three men involved in the brutal killing of Congolese immigrant Moïse Kabagambe, 24, will be tried for murder. They are accused of beating Mr. Kabagambe to death at a beachside kiosk where he worked in the upmarket Rio de Janeiro neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca.
The crime happened on January 24, after the victim arrived at work demanding two days’ back pay which he was owed. Surveillance footage shows Moïse Kabagambe arriving at the kiosk and getting into an argument. Soon after, the 24-year-old is assaulted by a group of men with punches, kicks, and a baseball bat.
The murder charges are aggravated by the fact that the crime had a “vile motive.” Prosecutors say in their indictment request that the suspects acted “with a conscious will to kill,” and acted with cruelty “as if they were dealing with a poisonous animal.” Investigators are still looking for a fourth aggressor.
The case sparked an outcry in Brazil and activists urged the country to face its problem of systemic racism and xenophobia against African immigrants. Protests were held in at least 13 state capitals in the country.
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