A brother of the man who died of a stab wound in his home in Lanzarote in 2022 has stated this Monday before the Jury of the Las Palmas Court that he saw how the two defendants for these events, Rubén H.M. and Souffian D. attacked him with two knives after destroying the door of the house they shared and that, later, they threatened him.
Benjamín V.G. has detailed in the first session of the trial against the two defendants that he only "saw the knives moving" around his brother Juan, who used drugs, was "very sick and could not defend himself".
For both, the prosecutor Joaquín Manuel Bobillo demands a sentence of 17 years for the crimes of intentional homicide, damages and threats, being convinced of the co-authorship of both in these events that occurred at about 9:30 p.m. on March 1, 2022.
At the beginning of the trial, the prosecutor stated to the court that he is convinced that the two defendants wanted to end Juan's life and that is why they appeared at his house with two "large knives" and with the intention of ending his life, since the stab wound he received was of "such intensity that it pierced his lung and heart".
The defense lawyer for Rubén H.M., however, has indicated to the court that he will try to demonstrate that it is a reckless homicide for which he demands a sentence of 5 years in prison, since he does not appreciate the other two crimes, while the lawyer defending Souffin D., has said that his client is innocent.
According to what he told the Jury, Souffin D. did not participate in the events and stayed in the car in which the defendant went to the deceased's house and there is no evidence against him.
However, Benjamín V.G., in his statement, pointed out that Souffian D., whom he did not know, was the one who knocked on the door of the house that night, asked him if he sold drugs, telling him no, and that then Rubén, alias 'Tuntún', whom his brother did know, came out from behind a car with a knife, so he closed the door of the house.
As the two defendants began to hit the door, he pointed out that he went for a medieval axe that his brother had in the living room as decoration and that when he returned he saw that they were attacking him.
Upon seeing him with the axe, he said that the two defendants ran out into the street, although they later returned towards him and threatened to stab him until a neighbor warned that he was going to call the police and they fled in a blue car, according to other witnesses who did not see the faces of the defendants because they say they were covered with the hoods of the sweatshirts they were wearing.
The sister of the deceased, Josefina V.G., stated to the court that a neighbor warned her that night and that when she arrived at the house she found that Juan had been killed and that Benjamín "was crying and could not speak" and that she also saw that the door was broken.
Benjamín V.G. and his sister demand compensation from the two defendants for the death of Juan and for the damages caused to the house, which was a place known as a crack sales point and as a smoking den, so witnesses have stated that it was a point of frequent conflicts.
All facts that Benjamín V.G. has denied and that his sister has stated that she was unaware of.
No one saw their faces
According to the more than ten witnesses who have testified in this first session of the trial, most of them neighbors of the deceased and his brother, none saw the faces of the two defendants because they had their heads covered with the hoods of the sweatshirts they were wearing, but they were able to see that they were carrying knives of "large dimensions".
Two of these witnesses have even stated that they have been threatened by the defendant Rubén H.M. and his family.
One of these witnesses, a neighbor of the deceased, has said that from his balcony he cannot see the door of the house where the events occurred, because his building is set back, but that when he looked out because he heard blows, he heard two people who ran by underneath say: "Come on, come on, run, run".
In addition, this witness has indicated that one of those who fled could be 'Tuntún', and has detailed that they fled in a blue car that was parked 10 meters from the door of his house.
Another neighbor of the deceased has pointed out that he knew Rubén and that when he was in the police station for these events, he received a call from him to tell him that he was a "snitch" and that "he had already killed one person and could kill another".
A friend of Rubén, who was with him at his house that night, pointed out to the police and in the investigating court that when she spoke with that witness she heard him say "I killed him and now I'm going to kill you", although the testimony she has given today before the court has been confusing, so the prosecutor has asked that she be investigated for false testimony and has provided her previous statement.
This witness has indicated that she found Rubén that night "totally gone" that "he was not in his right mind" and that he had told her that he had had a dispute. The trial will continue this Tuesday with the testimony of more witnesses in the case.
