In August 2020, approximately 60 members of the Santa Inés Peasant Community entered the client’s floating platform in the Choclococha Lagoon, where it carries out its trout aquaculture activities. These community members entered with sharp objects and stones, with the intention of threatening the workers and cutting the mesh of the platform to free the trout, as well as destroying and throwing away all the equipment that was part of the platform.
That day, seven members of the community were identified, some of whom held or had held positions in the community. A complaint was filed the same day and part of the damage caused was confirmed.
We participated in all the proceedings and presented the necessary documentation to support the aquaculture concession, the damage caused and the identification of the persons. With all this, the Public Prosecutor, after formalizing the preparatory investigation, formulated an accusation against the identified community members for the commission of the crimes of aggravated usurpation and aggravated damages. Likewise, the company Mar Andino Perú S.A., which is a company linked to the client and the holder of the affected concession, was also included as an aggrieved party. The accusation control hearing is pending, in which the judge will have to decide whether to approve the request.
On the other hand, at the beginning of the investigation and to defend themselves against the complaint filed, two of the accused community members filed a complaint for the alleged commission of attempted murder against the client’s workers, which was accumulated to the present case. After the proceedings and our defense arguments, the Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the closure of this part of the investigation.
