The Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP) clarified that a specific commissioner referenced in recent reports was not in active duty at the time of the escape from the Vale de Judeus prison. Hence, no disciplinary action was initiated against this individual concerning the escape. This dismissal pertains to other matters unrelated to the prisoners’ escape.
Earlier today, the Association of Prison Guard Leaderships (ASCCGP) announced the dismissal of a disciplinary case against the chief prison guard on duty during the escape at Vale de Judeus, a claim now refuted by the Ministry of Justice. Subsequently, the union admitted to an error in the information initially provided to Lusa and confirmed the Ministry of Justice’s account.
Following the escape, nine disciplinary cases were opened and remain under review: seven involve prison guards, one pertains to the chief prison guard, and one implicates Horácio Ribeiro, the then-director of the Vale de Judeus facility.
The DGRSP instigated these disciplinary proceedings upon a recommendation from an audit and inspection report submitted to the government on October 17, approximately a month after the escape of five inmates from Vale de Judeus on September 7.
Regarding the former prison director Horácio Ribeiro, the report highlighted violations of general duties related to public interest, diligence, and loyalty. The replacement director was criticized for failing to adhere to surveillance and security guidelines, particularly concerning the approval of duty rosters.
For the chief prison guard, the report concluded that the responsibility for the prison’s surveillance and security on that day, including physical and video surveillance of inner patios, lay with him.
Relating to the prison guards, which included a wing chief, the report noted breaches of general duties in pursuit of public interest and certain special duties. “Several instructions were not followed, including written ones. These failures resulted in a lack of thorough physical and video surveillance, facilitating the inmates’ escape and preventing their timely detection,” stated the report.
The escape from Vale de Judeus prompted the Minister of Justice to order an audit of the security conditions in Portuguese prisons and led to the removal of Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves from his role as the DGRSP’s director-general.
The security audit of the 49 prisons, released at the end of the year, identified “deficiencies” in equipment, organization, and resource management.
The escape also triggered a disciplinary investigation into the guards on duty for video surveillance at the time of the escape, alongside a Public Ministry inquiry to determine potential criminal liabilities.
On September 7, 2024, the escape from Vale de Judeus involved detainees Rodolfo Lohrman from Argentina, Mark Roscaleer from the UK, Shergili Farjiani from Georgia, and Portuguese nationals Fábio Loureiro and Fernando Ribeiro Ferreira. All escapees have since been recaptured, with only one apprehended within Portugal.
At the time of the escape, the five detainees were serving sentences ranging from seven to 25 years for crimes including drug trafficking, criminal association, robbery, kidnapping, and money laundering.
