A criminal court in Cruz del Eje, Córdoba
A criminal court in Cruz del Eje, Córdoba, has acquitted four youths accused of an alleged group rape in Bialet Massé and ordered an investigation into whether the complaint itself was false. The ruling, issued on Friday, also comes after an extended process in which one defendant—an 18-year-old—spent roughly a year and a half in custody.
The case began in 2024 after a 16-year-old filed a complaint tied to events following a night out in Carlos Paz in the early hours of June 9, 2024. Three of the accused were minors who spent part of the proceedings under restrictions before continuing mostly at liberty, while the only adult defendant remained detained at the Cruz del Eje prison until the acquittal.
Court cites lack of objective evidence and opens new investigations
Judge Javier Rojo issued the acquittals, concluding that the evidence presented was not sufficient to support the charge of aggravated sexual abuse. According to the decision, the court found an absence of objective elements capable of sustaining the prosecution’s theory and emphasized the defenses’ arguments in its assessment.
The ruling also ordered two new lines of inquiry. First, the court directed that authorities investigate the complainant for a possible false report, citing alleged inconsistencies and repeated contradictions attributed to her statements during the proceedings. Second, the court ordered a review of the work of an official expert whose psychological evaluation played a central role early in the case, after the defense challenged the validity of that report.
Prosecutors had sought significant prison terms, including a 12-year request for the adult defendant, but the court rejected the request on evidentiary grounds. With the acquittals now issued, the criminal liability of the accused is on hold, while the new investigations will examine both the complaint and the expert work that shaped the initial stage of the case.
