The preliminary hearing commenced this afternoon at the Matosinhos Court in the Porto district, without the presence of the current Mayor, Alberto Costa, and former councilor Tiago Araújo, who are also defendants in the case concerning the misuse of municipal vehicles from 2017 to 2019.
The lawyer for José Pedro Machado, currently the president of the Santo Tirso Parish Union, requested that the statements be given behind closed doors, citing the defendant’s “discomfort” in responding in the presence of the media, a point the prosecutor contested by reminding that journalists could later access the recordings of the statements.
The case documents indicate that between 2017 and 2019, the three officials—Alberto Costa, then the deputy mayor of the municipality, José Pedro Machado, and Tiago Araújo—are accused of using municipal vehicles for personal activities such as shopping trips, dining out, and traveling, particularly on weekends and public holidays.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) charges the three with abuse of power, embezzlement, and use of embezzled resources, with an additional charge of economic participation in a business levied against José Pedro Machado.
Additionally, the MP alleges that the municipality paid for a stay in Portimão for José Pedro Machado’s family while he attended a session of the Inter-Municipal Assembly of the Portuguese Association of Healthy Municipalities.
The former councilor testified for about half an hour. Following today’s hearing, defense lawyer Marques de Andrade, who also represents Tiago Araújo, declined to disclose the statements made by José Pedro Machado.
Subsequently, the defense requested to hear six more witnesses, but the judge only permitted three to testify.
When questioned by the prosecutor, Eduardo Campos, head of the transportation division of the Santo Tirso Council, who testified today, confirmed that then-mayor Joaquim Couto instructed him to drive to Leça da Palmeira in Matosinhos using a municipal vehicle to take his son to the Lisbon airport.
Eduardo Campos confirmed that the service was conducted in the municipality’s Citroen C5.
The current division head also confirmed the decision by the executive body to have council members drive municipal vehicles to avoid keeping drivers waiting during work commitments for extended periods.
The MP demands repayment to the state of “no less than” €892.75 from Alberto Costa, €637.95 from José Pedro Machado, and €287.95 from Tiago Araújo.
Municipal director Adriana Magalhães and the chief of staff to the Tirsense mayor, Sandro Dantas, are scheduled to testify at the hearing set for November 24 at 3:00 PM.
An attempt was made to obtain a comment from Joaquim Couto, but it was not possible at this time.
