The first trial to resume is the Operação Marquês case, with a session scheduled for this Tuesday. Former Prime Minister José Sócrates, the main defendant in the case involving 21 accused individuals of 117 crimes including corruption, money laundering, and tax fraud, is expected to continue his initial statements.
The Operação Marquês trial began on July 3rd, with the panel led by Judge Susana Seca hearing the former Socialist Prime Minister’s initial statements over three of the four sessions held.
The continuation of the main trial related to the Banco Espírito Santo (BES) collapse is set for September 8th. In this case, where former BES president Ricardo Salgado is the chief defendant, the court will continue to hear witnesses — more than 700 witnesses have been called by the prosecution and the defense.
Also in the banking sector, the trial related to BES Angola (BESA), which includes crimes such as breach of trust, money laundering, and fraud, will resume on September 15th.
Alongside Ricardo Salgado, former BESA president Álvaro Sobrinho is another main defendant.
Later in September, on the 17th, the verdict will be delivered in the case involving insults and attempted assaults by denialists on former Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo and Ferro Rodrigues, the former President of the Assembly of the Republic. This case involves 10 defendants and had three trial sessions.
Pending a decision in September is the case where the singer duo Anjos demand over one million euros in damages for losses allegedly caused by a video released by comedian Joana Marques.
Concluding soon is the case concerning smoke protection collars, with a verdict scheduled for October 31st.
Among the 19 defendants in this case is former Secretary of State for Civil Protection José Artur Neves, and the charges include fraud in obtaining subsidies, economic participation in business, and abuse of power related to public procurement and the purchase of self-protection collars in the ‘Aldeia Segura – Pessoas Seguras’ program, initiated following the 2017 forest fires.
October will also see the beginning of trials, with the trial of the PSP officer accused of the homicide of Odair Moniz in Cova da Moura, Amadora, in October last year. The first session is scheduled for October 15th at the Sintra court.
The trial of the Operação Lex case, involving former Benfica president Luís Filipe Vieira and former judge Rui Rangel, starts in October — with possible dates being the 15th, 22nd, or 29th — with the first session taking place at the Supreme Court of Justice.
The Duarte Lima case may also see developments in September, as the Public Prosecutor’s Office requested a 45-day period in July to receive missing recordings from Brazil related to the case of the former PSD deputy, accused of the 2009 murder of Rosalina Ribeiro.
If no information from Brazil is received, the Public Prosecutor’s Office will decide whether to request or not the initiation of a trial, with this decision potentially occurring still in September.
The judicial holiday period ends with several high-profile cases unresolved. The outcome of the preliminary investigation into Spinumviva, a company owned by Luís Montenegro’s family, remains unknown, and it is unclear whether it has been closed or if an inquiry has been opened.
