Five people have been charged in connection with the death of former One Direction star Liam Payne in Argentina, local authorities said in a statement Monday.
The 31-year-old musician died in October after he fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
In the statement, Judge Laura Bruniard said she decided to move forward and prosecute the case. Bruniard listed five people including the Hotel Casa Sur manager, receptionist and one of Payne’s friends, Roger Nores, who have been charged with manslaughter. Two other hotel employees have been charged with supplying drugs and have been ordered into custody.
In Argentina, defendants can appeal against the charges; however, if their appeal fails, the trial begins. If convicted, the defendants could face up to five years in prison, BBC reported. However, the sentence for supplying drugs is more severe in the country, facing between four and 15 years in jail.
Last month, Argentinian authorities reported that in a toxicology test, Payne had alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system before his death.
The funeral service for Payne was held in London, England in late November. The singer’s former One Direction bandmates, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik were all in attendance.
After Payne’s death, Malik posted a tribute to his band member. He said, “Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.”
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