The Public Ministry (MP) accused the former mayor of Barcelos, Miguel Costa Gómez, of malfeasance, forgery, harassment and abuse of power in a process related to a public competition for positions in the municipality.
According to a note published today on the website of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the District of Porto, two directors of the department, the head of the department and a candidate for the competition are also accused in the case.
The deputy believes that the defendants acted with the intent to harm the candidate, “the son-in-law of a member of a political committee” with whom Miguel Costa Gomez “maintained political differences.”
The facts relate to a public competition, which began in December 2015 with an advertisement in the Diário da República, to fill vacancies in the municipality (Sports and Youth Centre). The jury consisted of the defendants.
The deputy considered that this procedure was carried out only in order to formalize the integration into the ranks of the municipality of Barcelos of 31 employees of the dissolved municipal company, whose services were absorbed by the municipality.
Therefore, says the deputy, the procedure, “despite the competitive and competitive appearance, was” from the very beginning aimed at ensuring that 31 places in the competition went to employees of the above-mentioned municipal enterprise.”
However, according to the deputy, these workers were actually given 30 seats, leaving only one, “which was due to the fact that he was the son-in-law of a member of the political commission with whom the accused president supported political dissent.”
In this context, the respondent candidate in the competition received a “benefit” from the other respondents “as they allowed him to answer two answers in his written knowledge test immediately after completing it so that he could benefit from a maximum score on questions that they respected.” and become one of the candidates who scored the best in the written test.”
The deputy also believes that the municipality of Barcelos was forced to retain in its service an employee who was not selected through a public tender due to the precautions it had taken.
In July 2017, Miguel Costa Gómez issued an order, executed by the respondent director of the Department of Culture, Tourism, Youth and Sports, determining that this employee would begin working in the office of the department of the municipality, located in the Municipal Pavilion of Barcelos.” functions that were materially limited to confinement in a cramped office, with almost no natural light, at a desk, without any specific role and without interaction with any colleagues,” a situation that lasted for about a year.
All defendants are charged with one count of malfeasance in office and one count of aggravated forgery.
The director of the Department of Culture, Tourism, Youth and Sport will also be charged with aggravated stalking.
Lusa tried to listen to Miguel Costa Gomes, but so far without success. Costa Gomes was president of the Barcelos Chamber in Braga district for 12 years, unable to run again in 2021 due to term limit laws. In September, the former mayor was expelled from the PS.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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