The defense of real estate businessman Paulo Malafaya, one of the defendants in Operation Babylon, this Monday demanded his “immediate release,” arguing that the maximum period of pre-trial detention had expired, without any charges from prosecutors.
In a request sent to the Criminal Investigation Court (TIC) of Porto, to which the Lusa agency had access today, the defense of Paulo Malafaya recalls that his client was arrested on May 16, 2023 and three days later subjected to a mandatory measure of preventive detention. , May 19.
“As of today, May 20, 2024, no indictment has been issued. [do Ministério Público]. The maximum period for applying a preventive measure in custody has expired [um ano]”, the document says.
In this sense, the businessman’s defense understands that “it is necessary to immediately return the defendant to freedom.”
After participating in the first judicial interrogation, the Porto TIC established on May 19, 2023 that the vice-president of the Gaia Chamber at the time of the events, Patrocinho Azevedo, and the businessman Paulo Malafaya were both in pre-trial detention.
Elad Dror, an Israeli businessman and chief executive of Fortera Group at the time of the incident, was released but was forced to post a one million euro bail and surrender his passport, and lawyer João Lopez was subject to coercion. prison sentence at home.
The fifth defendant, Amandio Diaz, was forced to remove from his duties the senior technician of the Regional Directorate of Culture of the North.
The five defendants were also banned from contacting each other and any future defendants.
The investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PO) in the main case of Operation Babylon believes that Elad Dror and real estate businessman Paulo Malafaya, through lawyer João Lopez, transferred more than 120 thousand euros to the then vice-president of the Chamber of Vila Nova de Gaia, Patrocinho Azevedo ( PS) so that he can make a decision in favor of his city interests.
The investigation claims that Elad Dror, founder of the Fortera group with Israeli capital, and Paulo Malafaya, a real estate developer, “agreed with each other to develop real estate projects in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia, namely the so-called Skyline / Cultural and Congress Center , Riverside and Hotel Azul,” according to a report from DIAP Regional do Porto, which Lusa previously had access to.
In a statement issued on May 16, 2023, the day the four accused were arrested, the Police Judicial (PJ) explained that “Operation Babylon focuses on the violation of rules and regulations in city licensing processes in favor of promoters associated with projects. high density and magnitude, with real estate interests worth approximately €300 million at stake through the offer and acceptance of monetary considerations.”
The core case of Operation Babylon includes the crimes of obtaining or offering an undue advantage, active and passive corruption, malfeasance and abuse of power committed by and against an official or person holding a political position.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.