José Socrates does not agree with the decision handed down this Thursday by the Lisbon Court of Appeal. “I disagree. I will challenge,” he said, vowing to “use all legal means” and discuss with his lawyer the possibility of “appealing to a higher court on the merits,” as he was “absolutely convinced the judges are wrong.” .
The Court of Appeal’s landmark decision in Operation Marquis almost completely restored the prosecution case. José Sócrates admitted that this was a “legal defeat”, the cause of “a strong feeling of dissatisfaction” and disagreement.
“At the investigation stage, it was proven that the deputy’s accusations were false (…) The judges made significant changes to the facts. They confirmed the error on the part of the deputy,” he emphasized, from the point of view that “no person has the right to evaluate the decision, as if it were a decision on pronunciation.” Other criticism relates to statutes of limitations and a “controversial” change pushed forward by judges “in defiance of the Constitutional Court.”
The former prime minister will be tried for three corruption crimes, 13 money laundering crimes and six tax frauds.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
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