A police officer who was among the first responders to the death of football icon, Diego Maradona testified in court on Tuesday, stating that he saw no medical equipment in the room where the football icon was receiving post-operative care.
Officer Lucas Farias made the revelation during the ongoing trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of homicide over Maradona’s death. Prosecutors have described the handling of the Argentine legend’s final days as a “horror theatre.”
“I didn’t see medical items in the room. I didn’t see serums that I think should be part of home hospitalisation,” Farias told the court, referring to an intravenous drip.
Maradona, who died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, was recovering at home following brain surgery for a blood clot. His cause of death was determined to be heart failure and acute pulmonary edema.
Farias also described the shocking state in which he found Maradona’s body. “What first caught my attention about Diego Maradona was his face-up position with an abdomen so swollen it seemed about to explode,” he recalled.
The seven medical professionals on trial—including a neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, and nurse—face charges of “homicide with possible intent,” meaning they allegedly ignored life-threatening risks in their care. If convicted, they could face sentences ranging from eight to 25 years in prison.
The trial, which began last week in Buenos Aires, is expected to run until July, with nearly 120 witnesses set to testify.
