Jose Eugenio Chamaya Pumacharis

On September 22, 1995, Jose Eugenio Chamaya Pumacharis, a 47-year-old taxi driver, was arrested while driving his car in Lima. The patrol officers suspected that he and his two adolescent passengers had been preparing to commit a robbery. The police took them to the police station in Santa Felicia, where they beat and tortured them in the courtyard of the station.

The two adolescents, Katherine Keli and Carlos Casapaico, stated to police investigators that they had blindfolded, had their hands tied behind their backs, and had their heads forced under water in a bathtub. The medical exams established that they had also been hit them with a heavy object. Chamaya, who had been hit in the chest and almost drowned, suffered an attack and lost consciousness. The police medical staff which came to assist Chamaya was unable to revive him.

Jose Zevallos Damacend and Aldo Sucno Luna –the two agents responsible for the torture– escaped. Five days after their fleeing, they surrendered and confessed.

From the beginning, police legal authorities insisted on retaining jurisdiction over the case, contending that the crime had taken place in a police station and that those responsible were carrying out police functions at the time.

The district attorney concluded his investigation and requested the men be charged with homicide and sentenced to 20 years. However, prior to the trial in civilian court, police judicial authorities tried Zevallos and quickly sentenced him to four years in prison for “homicide” and “abuse of authority.” Since then, the court investigation has continued, but the police judicial authorities have refused to comply with the five subpoenas issued by the civilian judge for Zevallos’ appearance. The other suspects never went to court; nor did they offer evidence to the district attorney or to the civilian judge.