Nearly five years on from the death of legendary footballer Diego Maradona, the Argentine's medical team have been accused of 'murder' in an ongoing court proceeding.
Graphic images of the former Napoli star were held up in a court in the town of San Isidro, north of Buenos Aires, this week, with chief prosecutor Patricio Ferrari suggesting that Maradona was in a 'house of horror' when he died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60.
Seven defendants are currently on trial for their alleged failings in the World Cup winner's home care, which has been labelled 'reckless and deficient' by the prosecuting Ferrari.
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Maradona - who wasn't the most popular man in England due to his iconic but controversial 'hand of God' moment in the 1986 World Cup - was in hospital to remove a blood clot on his brain in early November, 2020.
He was sent home very soon after the operation, and passed away just two weeks later after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Ferrari held up a grim image of Maradona on his final day, which drove the legend's daughter Dalma to tears when it was shown to the court.
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It is argued that the 60-year-old was in no fit state to return home so soon after the operation, with Ferrari stating: "You will see during this trial what reckless home care is, reckless, deficient, without precedent, without any type of control during the period that ended with Diego’s death.
"We will show that between November 11 and 25 2020, Diego Armando Maradona was introduced into house 45 in the San Barrio neighbourhood in San Benavides in Tigre when, clearly the victim, he was not in full use of his mental faculties and even less could decide on his own about his health.
“He entered that place for a clinical rehabilitation and home medical care that we can say without any doubt was calamitous."
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The seven on trial include Maradona’s brain surgeon and his psychiatrist. They are accused of what is known in Argentina as culpable homicide, a crime similar to involuntary manslaughter.
All have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they may face up to 25 years in prison.
Fernando Burlando, a lawyer representing Maradona's family, didn't mince his words in the courtroom, accusing the health professionals of 'murdering' the former footballer.
“He was murdered. And for that task, someone who is still hiding in the shadows called on a team of health professionals to kill him in a silent but equally cruel way,” Burlando told press.
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"There is an economic interest, a dark side to this situation that has not been incorporated so far … People who wanted to benefit from Diego’s death."
It is well documented that the Argentinean struggled throughout his life with obesity, alcoholism and drug abuse but in 2021, but prosecutors have concluded that his death could have been avoided if it weren't for the 'negligence' of his doctors.
More than 100 witnesses will testify at the trial, which is expected to last until July.
James Moorhouse