PGR gives prosecutors in EDP/CMEC case another 60 days to complete investigation

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGR) has given prosecutors in the EDP/CMEC case an additional 60 days to complete their investigation and is confirming a “review of the evidence” following a Supreme Court decision invalidating the use of seized emails.

“It is confirmed that the magistrates hearing the pending case have asked for an extension of time for issuing a final order terminating the investigation. Moreover, this involves rethinking the body of evidence in the light of the jurisprudence established by the judgment of the Supreme Court Judgment (STJ) No. 10/2023. It is further clarified , that based on the request submitted, the period was extended by another 60 days,” PGR said in response to Lusa.

Ministry of State (MP) prosecutors in charge of the EDP/CMEC case have asked for an extension of the deadline for filing the charging order, which will end soon, and are now asking for a few more weeks to complete, Lusa confirmed this. Tuesday with a source connected to the trial after it was reported by the Observer.

At issue are demands from the defense of some of the accused regarding the possible inclusion in the MP’s indictment of 3,277 emails seized from former EDP administrators António Mexía and João Manso Neto, whose arrest was annulled in October 2023 by a recording order of the Supreme Court. Court of Justice (STJ).

The defense of the accused João Conceição, administrator of the REN and former consultant to former minister Manuel Pinho, last week submitted a request to the investigating judge Nuno Dias Costa, the purpose of which was to force the magistrate to warn prosecutors in the case about the possible commission of crimes of insubordination, irregularities in correspondence and malfeasance if they used email.

In an order made public on Tuesday, the judge, who had already ordered the aforementioned emails destroyed during the trial, refused to grant the claim by lawyers Rui Patricio and Thiago Geraldo, but acknowledged that the alleged inclusion of this prohibited evidence could have consequences.

The defense of António Mexía and João Manço Neto, responsible for the lawyer João Medeiros, submitted another request to the Office of the Prosecutor General (PGR), warning that the use of the seized emails as evidence (after their arrest was annulled, since it was not authorized by the investigating judge) constitutes a crime and requests clarification whether the deadline for completing the investigation has been extended again.

If the EDP/CMEC indictment, which has been under investigation for approximately 12 years and relates to the costs of maintaining contractual equilibrium (CMEC), contains emails, the said evidence still risks being declared invalid at a possible requested stage of the investigation. the accused or their assistants.

The EDP/CMEC case in December 2022 resulted in the indictment of former minister Manuel Pinho, his wife Alexandra Pinho and former banker Ricardo Salgado on facts unrelated to the company and CMEC. The investigation has since been split, with António Mexia and João Manso Neto suspected of crimes related to corruption and economic involvement in business, while João Conceição is suspected of passive corruption.