During the closing arguments at the Vila Nova de Gaia Court in the Porto district, the Public Prosecutor’s Office suggested that the sentences for businessman Paulo Malafaia and lawyer João Pedro Lopes should exceed the middle of the eight to 12-year imprisonment range, recommending 10 years.
Conversely, the prosecutor proposed a sentence for Elad Dror, founder of the Fortera group, to be at or below the midpoint of that range, recommending 10 years or less.
Businessmen Paulo Malafaia and Elad Dror, along with lawyer João Pedro Lopes and former vice-president of Gaia City Hall, Patrocínio Azevedo, are among the 16 defendants in Operation Babel. This operation investigates alleged manipulation and violation of rules and regulatory processes concerning urban planning permits in Vila Nova de Gaia.
The prosecutor’s office alleges that Elad Dror and Paulo Malafaia agreed to develop real estate projects in Vila Nova de Gaia, specifically the Skyline/Cultural and Congress Center, Riverside, and Hotel Azul projects, allegedly receiving favoritism from the former vice-president in exchange for money and material goods, including watches.
The prosecutor noted that Paulo Malafaia, who spent approximately 23 months in pre-trial detention before being released in April, was dishonest. “He constructed an inconsistent narrative, not contributing to uncovering the truth,” the prosecutor emphasized.
Stating that the businessman provided partial and misleading information, the prosecutor further remarked that he did not grasp the severity of his actions.
Regarding Elad Dror, the prosecutor determined that his statements were aligned with his version of events. “He acted with direct intent and a high degree of illegality,” the prosecutor stressed.
Similarly, concerning lawyer João Pedro Lopes, the prosecutor mentioned that he did not aid in clarifying the facts. “On the contrary, he constructed a story and tried to lead the court into a deceptive and senseless narrative,” the prosecutor pointed out.
For two of the other defendants, the Public Prosecutor’s Office requested sentences between four years and six months to five years, with suspended execution, and for the companies also charged, fines were suggested.
The Gaia City Hall, currently led by Luís Filipe Menezes of the Social Democratic Party, who returned and concluded 12 years of socialist leadership, withdrew from assisting the case and from its demand for a 50,000-euro indemnity.
