Pedro Calado’s first judicial interrogation was concluded by the criminal investigation judge, Jorge Bernardes de Melo, after the defense lawyer requested its end, citing tiredness on the part of the defendant, who refused to make any further statements.
According to a judicial source, the Central Court of Criminal Instruction summoned the presence of lawyers Raul Soares da Veiga and André Navarro de Noronha, agents of the remaining defendants Avelino Farinha and Custódio Correia, respectively, with a view to starting the allegations phase with the proposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the first measures to be applied.
Pedro Calado began to be heard by the magistrate on Tuesday, after Custódio Correia and Avelino Farinha. The judicial interrogation, which was expected to be long, ended up being shorter in duration than the interrogation of the remaining defendants, which lasted three days.
Criminal investigating judge Jorge Bernardes de Melo, in charge of the case will decide and apply the next measures after the Public Prosecutor’s Office presents its proposal and the defense presents its allegation.
Pedro Calado, Avelino Farinha and Custódio Correia remain under a measure restricting their freedom until the end of the investigation phase. The prison establishment attached to the PJ facilities will be the ‘home’ of those being investigated until coercive measures are known.
The detention of defendants until the completion of the first judicial interrogation is an exceptional measure to safeguard the investigation and public order. The restriction of the freedom of those under investigation only occurs when strictly necessary to, for example, prevent the defendant from escaping, prevent the continuation of criminal activity or protect victims and witnesses.