2009: Mother of missing Joana Cipriano blames her brother Joćo for the killing!

[John]

Leonor Cipriano makes a new statement about the killing of Joana.
16 January 2009

Leonor Cipriano, mother of the seven-year-old girl missing from the village of Figueira, Portimćo on the 12 September 2004, decided to reveal how her daughter was killed by her uncle Joćo (John) Cipriano.

According to the witness, Joćo Cipriano, convinced his sister Leonor to deliver her daughter to the care of persons outside the family, in exchange for a monetary amount.  The delivery did not go as planned, and resulted in the murder of Joanna by the uncle.

Leonor Cipriano appeals for information about her daughter Joana after her disappearance.

The witnesses statement, documented and signed by Leonor, who is serving time for murder and concealment of the body of her daughter in Beja prison, was delivered this Friday to the Court of Faro, her lawyer Mark Aragćo Correia reported to the CM.

This afternoon, Marcos Aragćo Correia, accompanied by her stepfather of Joana, Leandro da Silva, will make a statement on the door of the Court of Faro.

This is not the first time that Leonor's brother has been accused of killing her daughter.  During investigations, Joana's mother told the inspectors of the Judicial Police (PJ) that the girl's death would have resulted from a slap given by Joćo Cipriano.  But during the trial, Leonor changed version, denying the accusation.

Marcos Aragćo Correia defends Leonor in the case of the alleged assaults that claims to have been the target by PJ inspectors, whose trial resumes this Friday at the Court of Faro.


www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/leonor-acusa-joao-cipriano-de-matar-joana

[John]

Leonor Cipriano says that her brother John killed daughter.
17 January 2009

Leonor Cipriano said before judges and juries, last October - in the trial accusing elements of PJ torture to take her to confess to the murder - who did not know what had happened to her daughter Joanna, who believed she was alive.  Three months later, the mother of missing seven year old girl from the village of Figueira, Portimćo, gives new version and reveals that her daughter was killed by her uncle John Cipriano.  A woman sentenced to 16 years in prison for the murder of her daughter, has now said that he tried to sell her!

According to the testimony of Leonor - registered by lawyer Marcos Aragćo Correia - Joćo Cipriano convinced his sister to deliver her daughter to the care of strangers to the family in exchange for money.  The delivery did not go well, and resulted in the murder of Joanna.

This new confession of proceedings on 13 October 2004 is considered by members of PJ who investigated the case as 'another version of a psychotic person who takes pleasure in playing with the police and the courts.'

Leonor Cipriano in September 2004.

According to Leonor, 'was already all set' for 'Joan to be taken abroad' - plan designed by her brother.  'I sent Joana shopping (...) and John kept her clothes in a bag', describes.  'One hour and a half later I returned to see John, but arrived without money.  I saw blood on the pants and asked for Joana and he said that things had not gone well.  Dudes had no money ', continues.  In his version, the daughter said that Joan will 'would tell all' and that John gave her 'a slap'.  And then got out of 'dead girl'.  Buried the body, continues, 'up there in the hills of Figueira'.

This is not the first time that Leonor's brother has been accused of murdering her daughter.  During the investigation, she always said that death resulted from a slap given by John in the house.  At trial she denied the accusation.  After four years, shows a new version.

The lawyer Aragćo Correia, who admitted that the CM was he who drafted the document, he said the request Leonor says that 'it is best to tell the truth, better late than never'.

www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/leonor-diz-que-joao-matou-filha

[John]

Where is the body?
22 January 2009

Paulo Pereira Cristovao, the former inspector of the Judicial Police who investigated the death of Joana in 2004, wants Leonor Cipriano's lawyer, the girl's mother convicted of her murder, along with his brother John, "go the rest of the way" and get the revelation of the exact location where the corpse of the child is buried.

"Anyone thinking that Joana had a decent funeral," says former inspector to the CM.  Cristóvćo launched the idea following the confession of Leonor, revealed last Friday at the Court of Faro, by her lawyer, Marcos Aragćo Correia.  According to Leonor, her daughter was buried "up there in the hills of Figueira", after an aborted child sale by Joćo Cipriano, uncle of the eight-year-old girl.

 "We will not engage in a crusade to hoe the land in the north of Figueira," said the former inspector.  "But if you suggest a place that has not been the target of searches, the authorities will act," he concludes.  Accordingly, he asks the lawyer for Leonor to provide a complete confession, ensuring "She knows where the body is."  Aragćo Correia says, "If she knew, then John  knows.."  And the inspectors criticized for not having followed the tracks of the sale of the girl.

Missing - Joana Isabel Cipriano Guerreiro disappeared on 12 September 2004.

Gonēalo Amaral, coordinator of research (now retired PJ), says that "the body does not exist" and that John admitted that in the investigation.

Cristóvćo, Pereira and Amaral, among other policemen are accused by Leonor in a case of torture.  Today there new session of the trial and, according to the CM found the defendants will break their silence.

www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/que-diga-onde-esta-o-corpo

[John]

Leonor lawyer asks for searches.
28 January 2009

Leonor Cipriano's lawyer on Wednesday asked the National Guard to conduct searches at "an abandoned house up there in the hills of Figueira", Portimćo, where the mother of Joana Cipriano confessed that John buried the girl's body.

In a letter sent to the detachment of the GNR in Portimćo, to which Lusa had access, Marcos Aragćo Correia announced that Leonor Cipriano said on Tuesday at the Prison of Beja, that "the killer Joćo Cipriano said that you had buried the body in Hills Fuller "in" an abandoned house."

www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/advogado-de-leonor-pede-buscas

[John]

Leonor lawyer asks for searches.
29 January 2009

Leonor Cipriano's lawyer sent a fax to the GNR Detachment at Portimao at the end of yesterday afternoon, prompting searches to "an abandoned house up there in the hills of Figueira", where mother Joan says her brother Joćo Cipriano buried the body of the eight-year-old girl in 2004.  Both Leonor and John were convicted of the murder of Joanna.  The GNR told her lawyer Marcos Aragćo Correia that he should have sent the fax to the Judicial Police, but also announced the transfer to the Department of the PJ in Portimćo.

Joćo Cipriano, uncle of Joana was convicted alongside his sister Leonor.

 

Gonēalo Amaral, former coordinator of the PJ for research, assured the CM that all old houses and abandonments in the north of Figueira were subjected to searches, including one that was at the time indicated by the very Leonor Cipriano.

www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/caso-joana-advogado-pede-busca

[John]

No searches at Figueira.
30 January 2009

The request to the GNR Portimćo - and referred to the PJ - by Leonor Cipriano lawyer Marcos Aragćo Correia, for a search to be made "to an abandoned house up there, in the foothills of Figueira", where mother Joan says his brother buried the girl's body, in September 2004, did not produce any results.

Yesterday, the CM went to the village three times but no evidence of the presence of the police, the situation also confirmed by locals.

A barren area indicated by Leonor there are about a dozen old and abandoned houses.  One of them even came to be associated as the place where John hid the body.  Another was indicated by Leonor herself.  These houses were, however, thoroughly searched by the Judiciary in the early stages of investigation, without any concrete trace had been determined regarding the whereabouts of the body of Joana, aged eight years.



A house and piggery in the hills above Figueira.

Residents contacted by the CM, in Figueira, were unanimous in considering the information given by Leonor as "a lie".  "Both she [Leonor] as he [John] know what they did, but it seems that what they want is to continue to play with the police."

PJ sources admit is not possible to perform due diligence, without intervention by prosecutors in a case already closed, since it does not require a warrant.  Emphasize that, in this case, is unlikely.  The Directorate of Faro is examining the request of the lawyer.

www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/figueira-sem-buscas

[John]

Leonor lawyer makes house searches in Figueira.
31 January 2009

Leonor Cipriano's lawyer took the initiative to pursue private searches of abandoned houses in the hills north of the village of Figueira, Portimćo.  Marcos Aragćo Correia is operating on the bass of the confession of Joana's mother, who accuses her brother, John, that he had buried the girl in that area.

The day after having sent a fax to the GNR which was in turn referred to the PJ, Aragćo Correia, and a friend with a "trained hunting Labrador dog", were, yesterday afternoon, at the location indicated by Leonor.  "We've been in two abandoned houses," the lawyer told the CM, adding that one of them dug holes with a hoe and a shovel.

Nothing was found.  Family of Leonor can, according to the lawyer, come to do searches this week-end.

www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/advogado-de-leonor-faz-buscas-em-casas-na-figueira

[John]

Some people must ask themselves why Leonor should put her trusted lawyer through such an ordeal and cost if it wasn't true?To summarize, Leonor claims that her brother Joąo (John) Cipriano had arranged to sell Joana to foreigners but that the deal collapsed which left him in a quandary of what then to do with the girl.  Leonor claims that he killed her and buried her in an abandoned house up in the hills above Figuera.

Could it be that the deal went ahead and that Joćo is in fact lying to Leonr?

[John]

Residents of Figueira believe that Joan was sold or kidnapped.
11 September 2009

by Lusa

Five years after the disappearance of Joana Cipriano, the population of Figueira, where she lived, do not forget the case and since then keeps alive a sense of mistrust of strangers: almost everyone believes that the girl was abducted or sold.

Joan, aged eight, disappeared from that village in the municipality of Portimćo Algarve on September 12, 2004, about 20:30, after shopping at a cafe near home at the request of her mother.

Speaking to Lusa, several residents say the disappearance of Joana "awakened" a sense of insecurity in the village, "forcing a constant attention and vigilance."

"I now have more attention, not only to my children but also other children I see on the street," says António Fernando, father of two children aged three and six years.

"I remain ever mindful of all movements of strangers and even acquaintances, especially when approaching children, because you never know who is around us," he noted, adding that distrust increases when "outsiders are spotted trying to talk to minors."

Cristina Campos, mother of an eight year old girl, sharing the same sentiment: "Even the neighbors came to distrust."


www.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dn.pt%2Finicio%2Fportugal%2Finterior.aspx%3Fcontent_id%3D1359033%26page%3D1&anno=2

[Matthew Wyse]

Leonor Cipriano makes a new statement about the killing of Joana.
16 January 2009

Leonor Cipriano, mother of the seven-year-old girl missing from the village of Figueira, Portimćo on the 12 September 2004, decided to reveal how her daughter was killed by her uncle Joćo (John) Cipriano.

According to the witness, Joćo Cipriano, convinced his sister Leonor to deliver her daughter to the care of persons outside the family, in exchange for a monetary amount.  The delivery did not go as planned, and resulted in the murder of Joanna by the uncle.

Leonor Cipriano appeals for information about her daughter Joana after her disappearance.

The witnesses statement, documented and signed by Leonor, who is serving time for murder and concealment of the body of her daughter in Odemira Prison, was delivered this Friday to the Court of Faro, her lawyer Mark Aragćo Correia reported to the CM.

This afternoon, Marcos Aragćo Correia, accompanied by her stepfather of Joana, Leandro da Silva, will make a statement on the door of the Court of Faro.

This is not the first time that Leonor's brother has been accused of killing her daughter.  During investigations, Joana's mother told the inspectors of the Judicial Police (PJ) that the girl's death would have resulted from a slap given by Joćo Cipriano.  But during the trial, Leonor changed version, denying the accusation.

Leonor's lawyer, Marcos Aragćo Correia, argues in the case of alleged assaults that claims to have been targeted by PJ inspectors, whose trial resumes this Friday at the Court of Faro.


www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/leonor-acusa-joao-cipriano-de-matar-joana

I was prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt but these events leave me in no doubt whatsoever that Leonor had a part in it all.  The woman obviously had a conscience and wanted to prepare the way for her eventual early release.  Thanks for translating those articles John as so little has been published in English in this case.

[Carana]

Some people must ask themselves why Leonor should put her trusted lawyer through such an ordeal and cost if it wasn't true?To summarize, Leonor claims that her brother Joąo (John) Cipriano had arranged to sell Joana to foreigners but that the deal collapsed which left him in a quandary of what then to do with the girl.  Leonor claims that he killed her and buried her in an abandoned house up in the hills above Figuera.

Could it be that the deal went ahead and that Joćo is in fact lying to Leonr?

There doesn't seem to be anything concrete in that direction, though. Neither Leandro nor Leonor seem to have excluded the possibility that Joćo might might have sold her, but my impression is that her lawyer seemed more convinced of the Joćo-sale-gone-wrong theory than the other two for some reason.

Joćo doesn't seem to have been terribly popular: a taciturn, drifting casual labourer, who took drugs and had a criminal conviction. In the days before the disappearance, he'd been staying with their brother, but they'd had an argument and the brother took him over to Leonor's place early on the day of the disappearance.

On the other hand, one of the witnesses testified that when he had employed him, he'd had no problems with him, and someone else, possibly Leandro, said that he was fond of his niece.

Money by any means could have been a motive, but it's not clear how he could have organised it.

- If there hadn't been the argument with the brother, he might have tried to stay there longer and wouldn't have ended up at Leonor's that day.

- Joana wasn't due to come back home from Leandro's family until the Monday. It's not clear who made the decision to bring her back home on the Sunday. According to one of the statements, Leonor went to the birthday party and brought her back because there was the village fiesta and because her uncle was there. I haven't found any indication as to whether the younger kids went to the party or not. She might have decided to bring Joana back on the Sunday because she could leave Joćo to look after the little ones at home, thereby possibly making transportation / organisational issues easier.

- Joćo seems unlikely to have masterminded provoking an argument with his brother to get him to dump him on Leonor's doorstep and to get Joana home a day early so that he could sell her by getting Leonor to send her out on an errand for tuna fish and a carton of milk that he wouldn't have known they'd run out of.

- The "buyers" could have masterminded the operation. But, if they'd had contact... how? Did he have a functioning mobile phone? Did the PJ check his phone records?

- If the "buyers" had known that she was staying with Leandro's family, wouldn't it have been easier to grab her from there? If he wasn't there, it would have avoided any connection with him.

[John]

My own view is that Leonor's lawyer is not a stupid man.  He would not have got involved in this searching if he had not for a moment believed his client.  I wonder what Joćo had to say about this latest development.

It must be remembered though that the Supreme Court of Appeal took the view that Leonor killed Joana and Joćo disposed of her body.

Are we to now believe that Leonor was the innocent party to the events and that her only involvement was in covering up for her brother?

[Carana]

My own view is that Leonor's lawyer is not a stupid man.  He would not have got involved in this searching if he had not for a moment believed his client.  I wonder what Joćo had to say about this latest development.

It must be remembered though that the Supreme Court of Appeal took the view that Leonor killed Joana and Joćo disposed of her body.

Are we to now believe that Leonor was the innocent party to the events and that her only involvement was in covering up for her brother?

My own view is that I haven't found anything to convince me that either were involved in her disappearance, nor that she's dead. If I come across anything credible, I would have no problem in accepting it.

[Anna]

My own view is that I haven't found anything to convince me that either were involved in her disappearance, nor that she's dead. If I come across anything credible, I would have no problem in accepting it.

I believe in studying evidence found, forensics reports(thanks to Carana) and statements of witnesss along with the rubbish fed to the media before the trial. I have also studied the appeals as have you, Carana and reading some of the resident and family comments. I do not believe that Leonor was involved. I think it was an idea of her lawyer who tricked Joao into the confession in the hope that the story would reduce the sentence, however Joao denied writing the confession of killing Joana and the appeal was thrown out.but Leonors was left on file.
 Leonor has said many time that he thought her brother had tried to sell Joana. The Witness statements that led to the prosecution were Leandro and his families, however Leandro says that he said what he did because of being beaten. I know what I think and my opinion will not be changed .
Have a look at the statements on the 2009 appeal. Does it sound like she is a murderer?

[Mr Moderator]

My own view is that I haven't found anything to convince me that either were involved in her disappearance, nor that she's dead. If I come across anything credible, I would have no problem in accepting it.

You don't believe Leonor Cipriano then?