Brazil: Ex-politician convicted of instigating husband's murder

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Flordelis dos Santos at a hearing in her husband's murder case in 2020

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Ellan Lustosa / dpa

In Brazil, ex-MP and evangelical pastor Flordelis dos Santos has been sentenced to a long prison term for inciting her adult children to murder her husband.

As reported by the Brazilian media from the trial in Niterói near Rio de Janeiro, the politician has to go to prison for 50 years and 28 days.

Her children were also sentenced to prison terms: a daughter of the 61-year-old received 31 years and four months in prison, a son 33 years in prison.

He had previously been found guilty of shooting his stepfather.

Several adopted children of the former politician had received shorter prison sentences.

A granddaughter and two adopted children were acquitted.

Mother of more than 50 biological and adopted children

The case of the murder in June 2019 caused a stir in Brazil.

The then member of parliament became known in the 1990s for adopting dozens of street children who had survived a massacre.

In total, she has more than 50 biological and adopted children.

According to media reports, the victim, 42-year-old Pastor Anderson do Carmo, was initially taken in as a youth by his future wife as a son.

He was killed with around 30 shots in the garage of their home in Rio's sister city of Niterói.

According to media reports, the murder was preceded by several attempts to poison do Carmo - which is why Flordelis was found guilty of attempted murder, among other things.

According to investigators, the possible motive was a dispute over money and power over the jointly founded evangelical church, Ministerio Flordelis.

According to reports from the news portals G1 and UOL, among others, the defense announced that it would appeal.

Flordelis, also known as a gospel singer, had denied any involvement in the murder and reportedly testified at the jury trial that her husband abused her and others.

atb/dpa