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Prosecutors Seek 35 Years for Senior Police Over Protest Death

Thursday's control-de-acusación hearing will decide whether charges against retired general Víctor Zanabria advance to trial.

Overview

  • The Fiscalía presented a control-de-acusación request on Thursday seeking up to 35 years in prison for retired general Víctor Zanabria and several senior PNP officers on charges that include homicide calificado, attempted homicide and serious injuries.
  • Prosecutors also asked for shorter terms of 14 years and five years for other officers who face related accusations from the January 28, 2023 Lima protest that left Víctor Santisteban dead.
  • Control-de-acusación is the step where prosecutors formalize charges before an oral trial, so the judge's decision will determine whether the case goes to a full trial and which defendants face those penalties.
  • In Piura a preventive-detention hearing for two detained suspects in the murder of former mayor Víctor Hugo Febre was moved to Thursday after the defense said only 18 hours' notice was given, while two other accused listed as 'no habidos' have a separate hearing on June 25.
  • The cases are being handled by a specialized human-rights fiscalía and the immediate outcomes will shape accountability for alleged excessive force in protests and the detention status of suspects in the Febre killing, with possible effects on witness access and the pace of future trials.