Luís Carito, former vice-president of the Portimão Chamber, and nine other defendants in the “Cidade do Cinema” case were, this Thursday, January 30, acquitted of all crimes.
The final sentence in this case was announced today, in a session that took place at the Central Criminal Court of Portimão.
In addition to Carito, entrepreneurs Artur Curado, Luís Marreiros and Carlos Barros were also acquitted. All were indicated for the crimes of money laundering, qualified fraud and economic participation in business.
As for the six commercial companies, which were acquitted, they were accused of crimes of qualified fraud and money laundering.
In today's decision, the Court of Portimão considered that the signed contracts were not harmful to the State. Even so, it proved the existence of contracts between municipal companies Turis and Urbis with companies linked to the “Cidade do Cinema” project.
One of the most popular parts of the whole process took place when Luís Carito took a paper from the hands of a PJ inspector, to put it in his mouth.
The former vice-president of the Portimão Chamber was also indicted for the crime of stealing evidence, from which he was also acquitted, according to today's court decision.
This whole case dates back to 2013, when were arrested the former vice-president of the Chamber, as well as another councilor, an administrator of Portimão Urbis and two people linked to the Cidade do Cinema project.
At issue was an alleged misuse of 4,6 million euros from the State, with a “fraudulent scheme”, related to the “City of Cinema” and the redevelopment of the Portimão Stadium.
The former vice president of Portimão ended up staying subject to preventive detention, while the remaining defendants only had a Term of Identity and Residence. But this situation for Luís Carito only lasted a few weeks, until he was able to stay at home, under house arrest with electronic bracelet.
About seven months later, in January 2014, even this coercive measure was eased, and Carito was able to change the electronic bracelet for periodic presentations. It was at this time that he also resumed his duties as a doctor at the Health Center of Portimão.
Later, in January 2017, Luís Carito and Jorge Campos, former vice president and councilor of the Portimão Chamber, were accused by the Public Ministry (MP) of harmful administration, qualified fraud and bleaching.
Jorge Campos would later be dismissed, ceasing to be accused.
Last year, in October 2019, the MP asked for the acquittal of all defendants for lack of evidence, something that would now happen with this final decision of the Court.
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