Summary
12 August 2009
A Brazilian TV presenter has been accused of ordering killings to get rid of drug trafficking rivals and to boost his ratings. Wallace Souza, a state legislator, says the claims are an attempt by political rivals to smear him.
Reporter:
Gary Duffy
Brazilian TV presenter Wallace Souza
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If what the police say is true then this is the TV show that not only reported crime but was actually behind it as well. For the authorities believe that state legislator and presenter Wallace Souza commissioned at least five murders in order to get rid of drug trafficking rivals and to boost his programme ratings. They also say he wanted to prove his claims that the region he represented in the state of Amazonas was plagued with crime. A local police chief told the Associated Press that the order to execute always came from the presenter and his son, and that TV crews were alerted to get to the scene of the crime first. State Security Secretary Francisco Cavalcanti says the truth has now become clear.
Manaus Public Security Secratary, Francisco Cavalcanti: "On several occasions they fabricated the facts, they fabricated news."
Wallace Souza faces a variety of charges including drug trafficking and weapons possession but remains free because for the moment his political role gives him immunity. His son Rafael meanwhile has been arrested on charges of murder, drug trafficking and illegally possessing guns.
Lawyers for Mr Souza, a former policeman who was expelled from the force, say the accusations are an attempt to smear him and that there is not one piece of material proof to back the police claims.
Gary Duffy, 大象传媒 News, Brazil
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Vocabulary
- behind it as well
also responsible for it (here, crime)
- commissioned
told or ordered someone to do something and paid for it
- to boost his programme ratings
to increase his programme's popularity, to get more people to watch it
- plagued with
very badly affected by something bad (here, crime)
- the order to execute
the command to do something (here, to kill)
- fabricated
made up, invented or said things that weren't true
- his political role gives him immunity
because he's a political officer (a state legislator) he can't be charged with a crime
- expelled from the force
made to, or forced to leave his job in the police department (or police force)
- smear
accuse someone of something which is unpleasant, unreasonable or unlikely to be true and which is made publicly with the intention of harming that person's reputation
- not one piece of material proof
no solid evidence, evidence that you can see or touch
