Witness arrested for false testimony at Diego Maradona death trial

A former bodyguard of Diego Maradona was arrested Tuesday for allegedly giving false testimony in the trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of criminal negligence in the late football legend's medical care.

Julio Coria left the courtroom in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro in handcuffs after judges ruled in favour of the prosecution's claim that he had lied under oath and perjured himself.

Coria was present in the house were Maradona died under conditions prosecutors say amounted to negligence. He had tried to revive him with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, according to evidence before the court.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020 at age 60, while recovering at home from brain surgery for a blood clot. He had battled cocaine and alcohol addiction for decades. 

His seven-person medical team is on trial for what prosecutors have called the "horror theatre" of the final days of his life.

Maradona died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema – a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs – two weeks after going under the knife.

Coria had tried to resuscitate Maradona until doctors arrived at the house in Tigre, near San Isidro, and declared him dead.

The bodyguard claimed in court he had not spoken with Leopoldo Luque, Maradona's personal physician, one of those on trial.

But the investigation revealed multiple text messages between the two before and after Maradona's death.

The prosecution interrupted Coria's testimony several times, accusing him of "contradictions and omissions," before asking for his arrest.

Perjury carries a possible 10-year prison sentence in Argentina.

The seven defendants in the case are accused of "homicide with possible intent" – pursuing a course of action despite knowing it can lead to their patient's death.

They risk prison terms of between eight and 25 years.

Prosecutors allege the footballer was abandoned to his fate for a "prolonged, agonising period" before his death.

Nearly 120 witnesses are expected to testify in the long-delayed trial expected to run until July.

– TIMES/AFP