Public Ministry does not accept release of defendants
The three defendants detained as part of the alleged corruption process in Madeira must remain under a measure restricting their freedom until the end of the judicial interrogation and the application of coercive measures.
On the eighth day of detention, Pedro Calado’s defense lawyer recalled that the defendants’ detention is legal when validated within 48 hours, however, its extension in time is “questionable”.
Asked about possible action to release the defendants pending the application of coercive measures, the representative of the former vice-president of the Regional Government once again stated that there are not many legal measures available, explaining that ‘habeas corpus’ does not apply in this case. case and which, in any case, is “doomed to failure”
The Public Prosecutor’s Office must maintain the position of detaining the defendants until coercive measures are applied.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office’s investigations focus on facts that occurred from 2015 onwards, likely to substantiate crimes of attack against the rule of law, malfeasance, undue receipt of advantage, passive corruption, active corruption, economic participation in business, abuse of powers and trafficking of influence.
In the context of this case, the now resigned president of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, was also made a defendant, who admitted requesting the waiver of the immunity he enjoys due to the position he held until then, and for being a State councilor.