An alleged pattern of harassment that dates back to September 2017 is the basis of the accusations that the Court of First Instance in Humacao will examine this morning, during the preliminary hearing against the reggaeton singer José Fernando Cosculluela Suárez.
Better known as Cosculluela by fans of his genre, the artist was arrested on October 14 for allegedly committing repeated acts of domestic violence against his ex-partner, Jennifer Fungenzi Jaques, and for violations of the Weapons Law.
Despite the fact that the Public Ministry has been hermetic about the evidence that it will present today in room 205, the superior judge Yumayra Serrano Murcelo told the parties that, although the Supreme Court had authorized the transmission of the preliminary hearing, the testimonies of the alleged victim and a minor may not be released to the public.
“Since the victim’s testimony is sensitive, this Court understands that it should not be recorded on video or audio for dissemination. Likewise, in the case of the testimony of a minor, to protect it, it cannot be recorded audio-visually either, ”the judge determined through a resolution issued on November 30.
Against the exponent of the urban genre weigh a total of 15 charges. Thirteen of these are under the Law for the Prevention and Intervention with Domestic Violence, while two of the charges were based on the 2020 Weapons Law.
The allegations that accompanied the complaints filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which the artist’s defense sided with at the hearing to determine whether there was probable cause to continue the criminal proceedings against him, are revealing.
Cosculluela allegedly had a habit of threatening Fungenzi Jaques, who indicated that he feared for her safety. In some instances, it is alleged that the defendant also assaulted her ex-partner in different parts of her body, even when she was pregnant.
“The defendant here while arguing with the victim here in the residence they shared with her, he grabbed her by the neck, squeezing her, suffocating her,” reads one of the documents. According to the testimony of the alleged victim, this conduct occurred on two occasions, the most recent being on March 14, 2020. In another of the complaints, it was indicated that Cosculluela “slapped the victim here, this knowing that she was pregnant.
On another occasion, Cosculluela allegedly called Fungenzi Jaques via “Facetime” to show him how he held a gun to the head of the woman’s Maltese dog.
“From September 2017 to August 2022 in Humacao… [Cosculluela] used psychological violence and physical violence against Jennifer Fungenzi Jaques, who was his spouse for approximately 7 years and with whom he had two children, to cause her serious emotional harm. Consistent with the fact that the defendant constantly insulted the injured party by uttering profanity to her, physically assaulted her and threatened her with harm, I feel that this is a constant pattern of conduct, exercised in dishonor, discredit, and contempt for the personal value of the injured party,” highlights one of the complaints.
Similarly, the complaints include a total of two charges for violation of the Weapons Law. According to the documents examined by this medium, it is alleged that Cosculluela possesses a black machine gun, but that he does not have a license issued by the authorities that authorizes its use.
The document also mentions that Cosculluela “entered Fungenzi Jaques’ home… through the balcony of her room, where she made several detonations with a firearm.” “Back on April 20, 2022 in Humacao… she fired a gun, a black machine gun,” the Public Ministry alleges.
The complaints against Cosculluela were authorized by the coordinator of the Specialized Unit for Domestic Violence, Sexual Crimes and Child Abuse of the Humacao Prosecutor’s Office of the Department of Justice, Miguel Horneros Colón and presented by prosecutor Heriberto Rivera Medina and signed by Judge Carlos Javier Capo Hernandez.
These alleged events occurred last Friday, October 14, when two vehicles parked in front of Fungenzi Jaques’ residence were found on fire. According to sources in this medium, this incident was the trigger that caused Cosculluela’s ex-partner to go to the authorities to report it. This led to the arrest of the artist, who subsequently went to court to face the first stage of the criminal process. A day later, Cosculluela was arrested and a preliminary hearing was found for the 15 charges filed against him, setting a $245,000 bail, which he posted, leaving him free on bail and with an electronic shackle.
This incident continues under investigation by the Puerto Rico Police.
