Pedro Calado, president of the Funchal City Council, who is now suspected of corruption, has already left the Cancela Prison, where he spent the night, after his arrest, yesterday afternoon.
The mayor will now head to Madeira International Airport, where he will board the Air Force aircraft that will transport him to the Portuguese capital to be heard and learn about the coercive measures that will be applied to him.
It should be remembered that at stake are suspicions of corruption, active and passive, economic participation in business, malfeasance, receiving or offering an undue advantage, abuse of power and influence peddling.
According to a note from the Judiciary Police, within the scope of three investigations led by the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action, 130 home and non-home searches were carried out in several municipalities in Madeira, mainly Funchal, Câmara de Lobos, Machico and Ribeira Brava, in Greater Lisbon, in Braga, Porto, Paredes, Aguiar da Beira and also in Ponta Delgada.
The arrests of the Mayor of Funchal, Pedro Calado (PSD) and two managers from the AFA group took place at 2:15 pm, adds the Judiciary Police.
The three detained as part of the investigation into suspected corruption in Madeira are expected to be heard on Friday, at the Central Criminal Instruction Court, in Lisbon, a judicial source told Lusa.
Two Criminal Investigation judges, six magistrates from the Public Ministry and six members of the Technical Advisory Center of the Attorney General’s Office participated in the police operation, as well as 270 criminal investigators and experts from the PJ.