The former Chega party deputy Miguel Arruda was questioned on Thursday, July 3, by the Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the investigation into the alleged theft of luggage at the airports of Lisbon and Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island in the Azores.
The former parliamentarian did not speak to journalists upon arrival or departure from the Justice Campus in Lisbon.
The defense provided limited commentary. “The case is under judicial secrecy. [Miguel Arruda] was heard and provided the clarifications he felt appropriate. I have nothing more to say,” said lawyer José Manuel de Castro.
It should be noted that the former parliamentarian was named a suspect on January 21, following searches by the Public Security Police (PSP) at his residences in Lisbon and São Miguel, during which “several bags” were found not only in these homes but also in Miguel Arruda’s office in the Assembly of the Republic.
The former Chega deputy faces eight charges of qualified theft, carrying penalties of up to five years in prison.
He is suspected of having stolen bags from luggage carousels over several months when arriving at Lisbon airport to work in the Assembly of the Republic and upon returning home at Ponta Delgada airport on São Miguel Island in the Azores.
Authorities suspect Miguel Arruda used an online second-hand sales platform to sell items found inside the bags.
After analyzing the evidence and hearing Miguel Arruda’s statements, the Public Prosecutor’s Office will need to decide whether to close the inquiry or proceed with charges if sufficient evidence is found.
