After earlier stating to some television networks that he would only speak to the media upon entry to the court, the arrival of former Prime Minister José Sócrates at the Lisbon Central Criminal Court caused some confusion.
With virtually no supporters or critics awaiting him at the Justice Campus, Sócrates was surrounded by dozens of journalists, cameramen, and photographers as he arrived around 9:00 AM. The commotion caused him some delay in covering the short distance to the court entrance, where he expressed his intention to make a statement, prompting requests and criticisms from professionals: “Let me pass, I can’t even see the way.”
After more than 20 minutes speaking to journalists, Sócrates entered the court but not before hearing a citizen’s appeal: “Engineer, I’ve always supported you, but you should take responsibility.”
Originally charged with 31 crimes, José Sócrates will address 22 charges, including three for passive corruption involving a political office, 13 for money laundering, and six for qualified tax fraud.
Carlos Santos Silva, a friend of the former prime minister and businessman, faces the most charges levied by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, answering to 23 charges, down from the initial 33. These include one for passive corruption involving a political office, one for active corruption, 14 for money laundering, and seven for qualified tax fraud.
Among the accused is former banker from the defunct Banco Espírito Santo, Ricardo Salgado, who faces three charges of active corruption, one involving a political office, and eight charges of money laundering.
Ricardo Salgado has already appeared in court in a separate case extracted from the Operation Marquês and was sentenced to eight years in prison for breach of trust, with the execution of this sentence contingent upon health assessments, as he is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Another defendant already convicted in cases related to the main process is Armando Vara, a former minister under António Guterres and ex-administrator of Caixa Geral de Depósitos. In the main process, he faces charges of passive corruption involving a political office and money laundering.
Additionally, Susana Seca’s panel will hear from two former administrators of the defunct Portugal Telecom, Zeinal Bava and Henrique Granadeiro, Rui Horta and Costa, former administrator of the luxury Algarve development Vale de Lobo, Luso-Angolan businessman Helder Bataglia, Sócrates’ cousin José Pinto de Sousa, the former prime minister’s ex-wife Sofia Fava, and former driver João Perna.
On November 21, 2014, José Sócrates was arrested at Lisbon airport upon returning from Paris. This unprecedented situation in Portugal was based on suspicions of corruption, tax fraud, and money laundering, confirmed by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) on the same day. The statement announced the Operation Marquês investigation, led by the Central Department of Investigation and Prosecution (DCIAP), then headed by the current Attorney General of the Republic, Amadeu Guerra.
