The Argentine federal appeals court has made a decision regarding the case involving the famed British boyband star’s death. The court has ordered two of the defendants to stay in custody as they face prosecution for allegedly providing narcotics to the star.
On the other hand, the court has dropped charges against three other key defendants. These include Rogelio Nores, an Argentine businessman with US citizenship who was with Payne during his time in Buenos Aires, Gilda Martin, the manager of the hotel where Payne passed away, and Esteban Grassi, the hotel’s main receptionist.
The ruling specifically states that Ezequiel David Pereyra, a former employee at Casa Sur Hotel, and Braian Paiz, a waiter who served Payne at a restaurant in Buenos Aires, must remain in custody. They are facing allegations of supplying narcotics to Payne in the period leading up to his tragic death.
Because the charge they face carries a sentence of four to 15 years in prison, the court said that preventative detention was justified.
Payne’s sudden death drew an outpouring of grief around the world from heartbroken fans of One Direction, among the best-selling boy bands of all time.
