The decision of the court over the former general director of the MAI infrastructure has been postponed to July 13

The reading of the verdict in the retrial of the former Director General of Infrastructure and Equipment of the Ministry of the Interior, João Correia, has been rescheduled this Friday for July 13 due to changes in facts and laws.

At a hearing this Friday at the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon, the president of the panel of judges informed the parties of a number of changes to the 44 pages of fact and law, giving the lawyers 10 days to comment. at the same time, with a meeting scheduled for 30 June to review said changes.

Among the amendments in terms of law there is disagreement regarding the number of crimes of economic participation in business imputed to both Joao Alberto Correia and the defendant Enrique Oliveira.

In the first trial of this economic and financial crime case, João Correia was sentenced in April 2018 to a single sentence of seven years in prison for economic involvement in business, abuse of power and forgery of documents, as well as the payment of civil liability in the amount of 585 thousand euros and suspension from public functions for five years.

However, on appeal, the Court of Appeal of Lisbon (TRL) overturned the current prison sentence of João Correia and the suspended sentences of other defendants on issues related to evidence of crimes. Thus, the case had to be returned to the first instance for a new trial.

In the first decision, overturned by the High Court, the court held that the former director of Internal Governance Infrastructure outsourced public works directly to companies owned by people in his personal and professional circle of friends, in violation of legal rules and procedures and in disregard for public life legislation. acquisition.

According to the court, the works awarded in this way were distributed over several places and districts and covered the facilities of the PSP, GNR and the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), as a result of which the entrepreneurs who allegedly benefited from these works found themselves in the dock. .

Among the defendants in this case, in particular, Albino Rodriguez (head of works), businessman Enrique Oliveira and Maria Sa Gomes, head of the legal department of this MAI General Directorate.

João Alberto Correia arrived at the General Directorate of Infrastructure and Equipment (DGIE) of the Ministry of the Interior in 2011 and, according to the Ministry of the Interior, would have raised thousands of euros in three years for himself and a large group of friends. and other people with public money.

According to the prosecution, through the award of contracts, João Alberto Correia, during the period when he served in the DGIE, received jobs worth 5.9 million euros.