Paraguay police officer freed after lawyer's false accusation

A Paraguayan police officer, Julio César López Zárate, has been released after being unjustly imprisoned for nearly two weeks. The 23-year-old Grupo Lince officer was charged with aggravated robbery based on a complaint filed by lawyer Ángel Daniel Jaime Galeano. The lawyer accused López Zárate of assaulting him and then robbing him of his cellphone and 1,500,000 Paraguayan guaranis at gunpoint.

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The policeman recognized that he hit the lawyer, supposedly because of a problem they had when he was still a child, since they are neighbors.

The incident occurred on June 11 outside a pizzeria in Tacuara, San Estanislao. López Zárate admitted to hitting Galeano with a beer can following a dispute, reportedly stemming from a childhood issue as they are neighbors. However, Galeano's subsequent police report escalated the situation, alleging a firearm was involved and a significant sum of money was stolen.

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However, the assaulted lawyer presented himself that same night at the 19th police station of Cruce Tacuara and reported that not only was he assaulted, but that supposedly a few moments later the same police officer at gunpoint took his cell phone and a sum of G. 1,500,000.

Based on Galeano's complaint, a prosecutor sought an arrest warrant and an indictment for aggravated robbery. A local judge ordered López Zárate's pre-trial detention. However, crucial video evidence from a security camera later emerged. The footage clearly showed the assault with the beer can but provided no evidence of the alleged armed robbery. This video contradicted Galeano's claims and exonerated the police officer.

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However, the same images helped to understand that after that episode the policeman and his brother left the place and that the assault reported by the victim of the aggression never happened.

With the new evidence, the prosecutor agreed to the officer's release and is now considering charges against Galeano for filing a false report. The officer's family also reported that the lawyer had demanded 30 million guaranis for a settlement. López Zárate has been granted provisional liberty and did not have to serve time in prison.

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The families of the accused policeman said that the lawyer asked them for G. 30 million to reach an agreement.