Couple convicted for the death of Germans appeals to the Court of Appeal

The defense of two accused of murdering an elderly German couple in Beja has appealed their 22-year prison sentence to the Évora Court of Appeal. The lawyer, Pedro Pestana, expressed doubts about the recent ruling, highlighting the inconclusive autopsy results and questioning the assumption of murder. He argued that the elderly couple might have died from natural causes or a suicide pact. The defense invoked the principle of 'in dubio pro reo', seeking acquittal for the defendants. The court previously found that the accused had assaulted the couple and stolen their belongings, but the female defendant was convicted despite no physical involvement in the assault. The defendants have been free since May 2022 due to prolonged pre-trial detention.