The Civil Court of Cascais has granted the status of “major accompanied” to the former president of Banco Espírito Santo (BES), Ricardo Salgado, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and is currently on trial in the BES, BES Angola, and Operation Marquês cases. The court has also appointed his wife as his caretaker.
The ruling from the Local Civil Court of Cascais states that “his wife, Maria João Leal Calçada Bastos Salgado, is established as a caregiver, consequently designated as an accompanist.” The court also mandates “the general representation regime and the full administration of assets.”
The judicial decision sets January 1, 2019, as the date when the incapacity justified the application of these measures.
The request for Ricardo Salgado to be granted the status of “major accompanied” originated from the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) in October of last year.
Public prosecutors are also requesting the transcript of his interrogation from Tuesday.
Notícias ao Minuto com Lusa | 10:23 – 18/10/2024
At the time, Ricardo Salgado’s defense expressed satisfaction that the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) “recognized the situation” of the former banker’s incapacity but argued that the status of major accompanied does not resolve the issue.
“It doesn’t change anything,” emphasized lawyer Francisco Proença de Carvalho, noting that although the MP proposed the status of major accompanied for Ricardo Salgado, he “already has his informal caregiver,” who is his wife, Maria João Salgado, who is “an absolutely essential person” for his client.
The MP requested the status of major accompanied for Ricardo Salgado in the context of the BES/GES process. According to the lawyer, it is a sign of recognition that the former banker “lacks the capacity to make decisions and, much less, to defend himself in such a complex case.”
Notícias ao Minuto com Lusa | 12:56 – 18/10/2024
The regime of “major accompanied” applies only to adults, is primarily used for civil purposes, and the designated substitute mainly serves to make decisions for the person who is diminished concerning non-judicial matters.
The former president of BES, Ricardo Salgado, is the main defendant in the BES/GES case and is facing trial for 62 charges, allegedly committed between 2009 and 2014.
The charges include one of criminal association, 12 of active corruption in the private sector, 29 of qualified fraud, five of breach of trust, one of market manipulation, seven of money laundering, and seven of document forgery.
[News in update]
