Parliament lifted the immunity of three SDP deputies under suspicion in the “Tutti-Frutti” case

This Friday, the Assembly of the Republic unanimously approved the lifting of parliamentary immunity from PSD deputies Luis Newton, Carlos Eduardo Reis and Margarida Saavedra, three under suspicion in the “Tutti-Frutti” trial.

The ministry’s request to lift parliamentary immunity from three Social Democratic MPs already received its first unanimous approval on Tuesday at the Parliamentary Transparency Commission.

A report submitted by socialist Isabel Moreira, accessed by the Lusa news agency, concluded that deputies Carlos Eduardo Reis, Margarida Saavedra and Luis Newton “should be allowed” to be heard as defendants in the “Tutti” framework. – Frutti”

On May 7, the first application to waive immunity from three SDP deputies was returned to the court because, according to the Commission on Transparency and Statute of Deputies, the information necessary to evaluate it was missing.

It was about the absence of elements of the facts that are the subject of investigation within the framework of this investigation by the prosecutor’s office, as well as the time when they occurred, as well as the types of crimes, the criminal structures associated with them and an indication of the possible existence of convincing evidence of an intentional crime.

This issue was raised by the defense of MP Louis Newton, who about a year ago asked to be made an accused in this case, in a request addressed to the Central Criminal Court (TCIC), in which he argued that the decision of the Transparency Commission and the Statute of Deputies, as well as the implementation of the law the deputy at the preliminary hearing implied access to this information, which made it necessary to forward it to the Assembly of the Republic.

In contrast to what happened last May, it is now clear that the Court has already sent to the Assembly of the Republic “the minimum elements defining the fact in question and its temporality, qualification and the relevant applicable criminal framework, citing also in all cases there is compelling evidence that that deputies Carlos Eduardo Reis, Margarida Saavedra and Louis Newton committed intentional crimes that are best identified in the promotion of public service.”

Thus, the report of Isabella Moreira concluded that “there is no basis for the existence of a constitutionally established law on parliamentary immunity”, concluding that “the Assembly of the Republic (…) authorizes the distinguished deputies Carlos Eduardo Reis, Margarida Saavedra and Louis Newton , all from the SDP parliamentary group, testify “as accused.”

The request to waive the immunity of deputies Luis Newton, Carlos Eduardo Reis and Margarida Saavedra was filed by the Justice Department last April in order to name the accused and collect evidence in the Tutti Frutti case.

However, the TCIC order provided only information about the types of crimes and the relevant criminal structures.

According to the order, the DOJ believes that Carlos Eduardo Reis faces serious charges of active corruption, malfeasance and influence peddling, Louis Newton has substantial evidence of passive corruption and malfeasance, and Margarida Saavedra faces serious charges of qualified fraud, according to the order.

Luis Newton, Margarida Saavedra and Carlos Eduardo Reis took office as PSD deputies on March 26, following the last legislative elections on March 10.

Operation Tutti Frutti has been investigating alleged favoritism towards PS and PSD activists through agreements and government contracts since 2018, including suspicions of passive corruption, influence peddling, economic involvement in business and prohibited financing.