Paraguay Court Begins Sentencing in Femicide Case of María Fernanda Benítez

A Sentencing Court in Paraguay has commenced the reading of sentences for five adults implicated in the femicide of María Fernanda Benítez, an event that occurred in May of the previous year in Coronel Oviedo. The proceedings began late Tuesday evening, with judges Luis Ovelar, Andrea Riquelme, and Víctor Vera presiding over the case.

The court's decision followed an extensive final day of trial, which included closing statements from the accused and a recess for the judges to deliberate on the substantial evidence presented during the oral and public trial. The anticipation for the sentences has been high, with the public and legal representatives awaiting the final verdicts.

The first sentence delivered was a 10-year prison term for Chiara Mikhaella Rolón Melgarejo. Identified as a friend of the primary suspect in the crime, Rolón Melgarejo was unanimously found guilty of inciting femicide. The court did not find sufficient evidence to convict her on charges of failing to report a crime or glorifying it.

This sentence aligns with the prosecution's request during the trial. The court is continuing to read the remaining sentences for the other defendants involved in the case. Information on reporting violence against women is available through the national hotline "SOS mujer" at 137.

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The first sentence known was for Chiara Mikhaella Rolón Melgarejo, a friend of the main suspect in the crime, to whom the Court unanimously imposed 10 years in prison for inciting femicide.