The accused, detained as part of an investigation into lithium and hydrogen exploration companies, will begin being heard this Thursday by a judge at the Justice Campus in Lisbon, after they were only identified on Wednesday.
The five detained defendants appeared in court on Wednesday, but only to have their names identified and their defense to review the case to learn about the facts alleged by prosecutors.
Interrogations are due to begin this Thursday, led by criminal judge Nuno Diaz Costa.
Sines Mayor Nuno Mascarenhas and Afonso Salema, the administrator of Start Campus, detained as part of an investigation into a lithium and green hydrogen business, will testify during judicial questioning, their lawyers said on Wednesday, to enter the courthouse.
The prosecutor’s operation on Tuesday was based on at least 42 searches and led to the arrest of five people: the chief of staff of the Prime Minister Vitor Escaria, the president of the Chamber of Sines Nuno Mascarenhas, two administrators of the Start company. Campus, Afonso Salema and Ruy Oliveira Neves, as well as lawyer Diogo Lacerda Machado, a friend of Antonio Costa.
The accused were Infrastructure Minister João Galamba and the President of the Portuguese Environmental Protection Agency, Nuno Lacasta.
According to documents accessed by Luza, Lacerda Machado allegedly used his friendship with the prime minister to influence decisions by the government and other organizations regarding Start Campus projects.
The process targets the lithium exploration concessions of Montalegre and Boticas, both in Vila Real; a project for the production of energy from hydrogen in Sines, Setubal, as well as a project for the construction of a “data center” in the industrial and logistics zone of Sines by Start Campus.
In this case, an independent investigation of the Prime Minister was carried out in the Supreme Court after the suspects named him as having interfered with the unblocking of procedures in the businesses under investigation, prompting António Costa to submit his resignation to the President of the Republic.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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