Minister Marco Aurélio Buzzi, of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), sent this Thursday (5) a request to leave the court, presenting a medical certificate with no plans to return to work. The request comes after Buzzi was the target of an accusation of sexual harassment that was allegedly committed against an 18-year-old girl.
According to the information, the young woman had spent her vacation with her family in a magistrate’s beach house, in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina. During a swim in the sea, Buzzi allegedly tried to grab her by force. After the incident, the victim and his family returned to São Paulo immediately and filed a police report.
The STJ, unanimously, opened an internal inquiry to investigate the accusation, while the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and the National Council of Justice (CNJ) are also following the case.
In a statement, the minister denied the accusations, stating that he was “surprised by the content of the insinuations” and that the facts disclosed “do not correspond to reality”. He further declared that he “repudiates any and all conclusions that he committed an improper act.” The lawyer representing the victim and his family stated that he expects “rigorous investigations” from the authorities.
