Brazilian host ordered murders to 'boost ratings'

[simonjedi]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ow-host-ordered-murders-to-boost-ratings.html

Wallace Souza, the presenter of "Canal Livre" and a local politician, is being investigated by police on suspicion of going to the ultimate lengths in order to improve viewing figures.

Souza, who cannot be arrested while he is a state Congressman enjoying parliamentary immunity, is also accused of drug trafficking.

However, the alleged crimes are so serious judges could elect to break that immunity and try him for murder, drug dealing, illegal weapons possession and organised crime charges, said Divanilson Cavalcanti, the head of the task force investigating the accusations.

In one case, Wallace Souza allegedly ordered a hit and then made sure his camera crews were first on the scene, securing his show a scoop. The Canal Livre (Open Channel) show was typical of crime shows in Brazil, with angry hard men railing against crime and accusing politicians of failing to stop the violence.

However, when the bloodshed did subside, police claimed Souza commissioned murders.

"The order to execute always came from the legislator and his son, who then alerted the TV crews to get to the scene before the police," state police intelligence chief Thomaz Vasconcelos claimed.

The killings of competing drug traffickers, he said, "appear to have been committed to get rid of his rivals and increase the audience of the TV show".

Mr Vasconcelos said the accusations, which have made headlines in Brazil, stem from the allegations of several former employees and security guards who worked with the Souzas, allegedly as part of a gang of former police officers involved in drug trafficking.

Mr Souza's son, Rafael, has been jailed on charges of homicide, drug trafficking and illegal gun possession.

Mr Souza has denied all the criminal allegations and called them absurd, insisting that he and his son are being set up by political enemies and drug dealers sick of his two decades of relentless crime coverage on TV and anti-corruption campaigns.

"I was the one who organised legislative inquiries into organised crime, the prison system, corruption, drug trafficking by police, and paedophilia," Mr Souza said.

His lawyer, Francisco Balieiro, said: "There is not one piece of material proof in these accusations."

The show as hugely popular and Souza ran for state deputy, winning more votes than any other candidate in the race. His brothers also entered politics. One went on to become a city councillor in the state capital Manaus and the other is the city's deputy mayor.

The case has scandalised the remote, frontier city known as the capital of the Amazon.

 

[<RJMC>]

Mr Souza has denied all the criminal allegations and called them absurd, insisting that he and his son are being set up by political enemies and drug dealers sick of his two decades of relentless crime coverage on TV and anti-corruption campaigns.

one thing, thats how politicians defend themselfs in latinamerica

you hear politicians of countryes of europe saying that if they have proof of crimes they will renounce theyr charge and such

but in latinamerica they just call the acussations bullshit while saying how they are the second coming of christ,and them hire the gunmans

I am bit surprised but not that much

 

[kineaesth]

I'm not sure what other conclusions there are to draw apart from this guy being awful and corrupt and generally a wanker.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Guy gets good ratings.

 

[CyberPitz]

Immunity for a political person? That's just asking for trouble!

 

[mindless_moder]

yeah i never got the point of diplomatic immunity . Also WTF ? human life has value ... how can you justify something like that .

 

[Dog--]

Just like Lethal Weapon.

 

[swan_song1973]

i dont know about you all, but that guy has balls in my book.