The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police is investigating whether five more pregnant patients were also raped by anesthesiologist Giovanni Quintella Bezerra, arrested in the early hours of Monday (11). At least three of them have already testified. This Tuesday, the Justice Department of Rio de Janeiro decided to convert the arrest into temporary custody, for a period of 90 days, which can be extended. It was also decided that he would be taken to the Pedrolino Werling de Oliveira Public Prison, known as Bangu 8. The facility located in the west part of the city is where inmates with higher education degrees are sent to.
According to the State Department of Penitentiary Administration, he must be held in a private cell. Bezerra was indicted on suspicion of rape of a vulnerable person, with the penalty ranging from 8 to 15 years in prison. Folha has verified that he was accompanied by a lawyer at the hearing, but his defense has not yet come forward publicly.
Translated by Cassy Dias