Former municipal deputy and ex-leader of Chega, Nuno Pardal Ribeiro, has been indicted on two charges related to the solicitation of prostitution involving minors. One charge relates to a completed act and the other to an attempted one. He will face trial following his testimony on Thursday, October 16, at the Tribunal de Instrução de Cascais.
The former municipal deputy from Chega made a request during the preliminary phase for the proceedings to be suspended in exchange for a penalty payment and adherence to conduct rules set by the judge.
This request was opposed by the court, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the alleged victim’s family.
In his testimony, Nuno Pardal Ribeiro reportedly admitted to engaging in oral sex with the 15-year-old, believing the young individual to be of legal age, as they met through a dating site.
He also admitted to giving the minor 20 euros but denied paying for sex, suggesting the money was for dining out with friends.
These statements were insufficient to convince the judge, who decided to indict Nuno Pardal Ribeiro following the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s exact allegations.
There is another defendant in the case, a 74-year-old pilot, also set to be tried on charges of solicitation of prostitution involving minors. It should be noted that this individual was previously convicted in another case for causing two fatalities during an emergency landing at a beach in Costa da Caparica.
Nuno Pardal Ribeiro’s lawyer declined to comment on the matter.
The trial date for the case has not yet been set.
Details of the Case
On February 6, Nuno Pardal Ribeiro was accused by the Public Prosecutor of soliciting prostitution involving minors, based on suspicions he paid a 15-year-old for sexual relations.
In 2023, the former Chega municipal deputy and the youth reportedly connected on Grindr, a dating app for the LGBTQIA+ community. They later communicated via WhatsApp and arranged a meeting on July 11, 2023, near a train station.
During their interaction, according to the Public Prosecutor’s accusations, the Chega national adviser inquired about the young individual’s age, which was confirmed as “15”. Despite this, they engaged in “mutual” oral sex, after which Nuno Pardal Ribeiro sent a code via MBWay for the adolescent to withdraw twenty euros.
The prosecuting attorney Manuel dos Santos from the Cascais Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) emphasizes that Nuno Pardal was aware of the minor’s age and inexperience, following the sexual act with a subsequent money transfer confirmation.
The incident reportedly came to the attention of the Judiciary Police (PJ) after the adolescent’s parents discovered text messages on their child’s phone.
The legal age of consent for sexual relations with adults stands at 16 years and 18 if payment is involved. Therefore, the Public Prosecutor considers this case to involve two offenses of aggravated solicitation for prostitution involving minors—one completed and one attempted—as Nuno Pardal sought a second meeting, which the minor declined.
Nuno Pardal Ribeiro, who serves as a deputy in the Lisbon Municipal Assembly and vice-president of Chega’s district office in Lisbon, is accused of two aggravated crimes related to the solicitation of prostitution involving minors.
Notícias ao Minuto with Lusa | 10:11 – 06/02/2025
Resignation from Office
Upon public revelation of the case, Nuno Pardal Ribeiro announced his resignation from his position as a municipal deputy in Lisbon’s chamber.
In statements made to Lusa at the time, he said, “I will request to resign from my post, obviously,” expressing his intention to step down from his roles, including as vice-president of Chega’s Lisbon District.
Ribeiro explained his decision stemmed primarily from a desire “to preserve the party’s [Chega’s] image”.
“Secondly, to peacefully focus on my defense and prove my innocence,” he added.
The Chega official is being prosecuted by the Public Prosecutor for two crimes of solicitation of prostitution involving minors.
Notícias ao Minuto with Lusa | 11:15 – 06/02/2025
