The interrogation of a corruption suspect in Madeira has not resumed for procedural reasons. Defense demands consequences for delays

The interrogation of businessman Custodio Correia, one of three detainees suspected of corruption in Madeira, did not resume this Friday morning in Lisbon for procedural reasons, the lawyer said, stressing that there must be consequences for these delays.

Leaving the Central Criminal Court during lunch, Andre Navarro de Noronha said the delay was due to “procedural problems” and expressed the opinion that the most competent authority to “give explanations” would be the judicial police.

“It has something to do with it. Ask the prosecutor’s office to clarify, I cannot. I have nothing about the investigation, I do not organize the processes, so any doubts, any mistakes that exist, are not a defense that you need to talk about,” he told reporters.

“Today is the 10th day, tomorrow [sábado], if we meet, it will be on the 11th. There must be consequences,” he added.

According to lawyers for the three detainees, additional evidence collected by investigators related to the construction of a new hospital in Funchal arrived on Thursday afternoon, once again delaying interrogations.

However, the interrogation of Custodio Correia, who had been interrogated for about seven hours, was expected to resume this Friday and could be completed.

However, according to a judicial official, work resumed at 2:10 pm and the session is expected to end at 5:00 pm.

Custodio Correia, the main shareholder of the construction group Socicorreia, is heard first.

After Custodio Correia, we still need to hear from the businessman Avelino Fariña and the former mayor of Funchal, Pedro Calado (NSD).

On January 24, the judicial police carried out some 130 searches in and outside homes, mainly in Madeira, but also in the Azores and several areas of the continent, as part of an investigation into suspicions of active and passive corruption, economic involvement in business activities, malfeasance, receiving or offering an undue advantage, abuse of power and undue influence.

The president of the regional government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, was indicted and announced his resignation two days later.

Following the searches, the judicial police detained the then president of the Chamber of Funchal, Pedro Calado (PSD), who also resigned from his post, the head of the AFA construction group, Avelino Fariña, and the main shareholder of the civil engineering group Socicorreia, Custódio Correia.