Freddy E.B. being taken into court in Manacor yesterday. | Tolo Jaume

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The three surviving members of the gang involved with Saturday's robbery and shooting incident in Porreres appeared in court in Manacor yesterday. The judge ordered their preventive detention without bail, the hearing having lasted until gone midnight. The prosecution had levelled two charges against all three - robbery with violence and membership of a criminal group - plus one against Freddy E.B. of having injured the owner of the property, Pau R.

Freddy E.B. (25), the brother of Mauricio, who was shot by Pau R. and who later died, confessed to his involvement. His previous, pre-court statements had varied from having been involved to not having had anything to do with the incident.

Marcos R.V. (58) admitted that he was the driver. He suggested that José Antonio S.L. (44), who knew the Colombian brothers, had come up with the idea for the robbery plot and had kept the property under surveillance.

Marcos R.V. told the court that he had taken part in the previous robbery at the finca, which had taken place in early December. On that occasion, Mauricio was not involved. Instead, according to Marcos, a Moroccan was a member of the gang.

Freddy suggested that Mauricio was shot by Pau R. as they were leaving. Pau R. has maintained that he acted in self-defence, fearful of being killed with a crowbar. Pau R. remains in hospital. He was beaten during the robbery and his condition has not improved. A full statement has yet to be taken from him.  


* Jose Antonio S.L., nicknamed Pep Merda, used to run a bar called Sa Rua in Campos. During the time he was in charge, the bar apparently gained a bad reputation. Frequented by South Americans, there were complaints about noise, fighting and drunkenness. One resident who denounced the bar apparently suffered reprisals.

Marcos R. was seemingly a regular at the bar and knows Jose Antonio well. Police have not characterised Marcos as a criminal. He has no convictions but he is a drug user. Both he and Jose Antonio are said to have problems with drugs and with gambling. Jose Antonio, although considered something of a troublemaker, has only been arrested on one occasion in the past. This was last year for domestic violence.