Around the world, cases of wrongful accusations have destroyed lives, often caused by flawed investigations, unreliable witness identifications, or systemic bias.
These errors strip individuals of their freedom, their dignity, and their ability to rebuild their futures.
One such case is that of Paulo Alberto da Silva Costa, a 37-year-old doorman from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who was falsely accused of committing 62 crimes.
Arrest and Misidentification
In 2020, Costa was arrested at work and accused of thefts and two homicides. Despite having no prior criminal record, police used selfies from his Facebook profile to identify him as a suspect.
According to The Guardian, these photos were added to an unregulated “suspect album” and shown to witnesses, who identified him as the alleged perpetrator.
Most of the accusations against Costa originated from the same police station, where officers allegedly bypassed proper investigations and relied solely on photo identification.
Steps like verifying alibis or gathering physical evidence were ignored.
Three Years Behind Bars
Costa spent three years in prison before Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the charges against him were a mistake, as reported by FirstPost.
However, the court’s decision did not automatically clear all 62 charges. His lawyer has had to appeal each case individually, and 10 accusations remain unresolved.
Struggles After Release
Although Costa was freed, his life was far from normal. Costa, a father to 2 children, a 12-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter, struggles to find stable work due to the ongoing court hearings and the stigma surrounding his case.
“Who’s going to hire someone who constantly needs time off work to attend court hearings? I can’t have a normal life. And in the Brazil, we live in, I’m afraid I might die before I see the end of these cases against me,” Costa shared.
A Systemic Issue
Costa’s case shows deeper issues within the justice system, where flawed identification methods, like using photos from social media, are often relied upon.
These practices tend to unfairly target marginalized communities, paving the way for wrongful convictions.
“What they did to me was cowardice. They destroyed my life because I’m Black and poor,” Costa said.
Despite guidelines being introduced in 2022 to prevent photo recognition from being used as the sole evidence for arrests, these practices continue.
Now living in Belford Roxo, a disadvantaged area on the outskirts of Rio, Costa holds onto hope that, one day, all the charges against him will be cleared.
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