Police in Argentina on Friday have arrested one of the two men accused of supplying drugs to British singer Liam Payne before he fell to his death from the third floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires.
Braian Paiz, who is accused of having supplied cocaine to Payne, is one of five defendants indicted in connection with the death of the 31-year-old former One Direction pop star in October.
Paiz's home in the town of Budge, in Buenos Aires Province, was raided by police and the detainee was taken to court. His home has been searched, police sources said.
Three of the five (identified by prosecutors by the initials R.L.N., G.A.M., and E.R.G.) were charged with manslaughter due to negligence and the other two with supplying illegal drugs, prosecutors said earlier this week in a statement.
The trio faces between one and five years in jail if found guilty. The duo could be jailed for between four and 15 years if convicted.
CasaSur hotel manager (G.A.M.) and head receptionist (E.R.G.) have been criticised by prosecutors for their inaction and failure to ensure Payne's safety, despite recognising his vulnerable state.
Both were deemed to have created an "unacceptable legal risk" by allowing him to return to a room with a balcony.
Payne’s representative – R.L.N., better known as Rogelio Nores – was charged with manslaughter for failing to provide proper care and abandoning him, despite being aware of his condition and addictions.
The indictments were ordered by Judge Laura Bruniard, who presides over National Criminal and Correctional Court No. 34. The case was initially investigated by prosecutor Andrés Esteban Madrea.
Prosecutors say that Payne had consumed cocaine, alcohol and a prescription antidepressant before falling to his death from the balcony of his room at the Casa Sur Hotel.
Judge Bruniard has concluded that Payne attempted to leave the room via the balcony, which resulted in his fatal fall.
Paiz, 24, is accused of supplying Payne with drugs two days before his death.
Back in November, Paiz denied in a television interview having given drugs to Payne, although he said that he met the pop star and spent time with him at his hotel.
"We spent the night, we got high, because that's the reality, something intimate happened," he told Telefe Noticias.
In his statement to the court, Paiz admitted to having given Payne drugs but said he did it "to spend time with him" and not in exchange for money.
However, both the prosecution and the judge leading the case agree that "the delivery of cocaine was in exchange for money," after analysing chats and video footage.
Payne had spoken publicly about struggling with substance abuse and coping with fame from an early age.
His death prompted a global outpouring of grief from family, former bandmates and fans, with thousands gathering in cities around the world to offer their condolences.
One of the highest-grossing live acts in the world in the 2010s, One Direction went on indefinite hiatus in 2016. Payne enjoyed some solo success before his career stalled.
– TIMES/AFP
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