Conceição Cabrita (PSD), former mayor of Vila Real de Santo António, and former socialist deputy António Gameiro are two of those accused by the Public Ministry of passive corruption, within the scope of the investigation called Operation Triângulo.
According to a statement from the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP) of Évora, among the 12 defendants there are «11 natural persons and one legal person».
At stake is the sale of municipal land, located near the beach of Monte Gordo, to the real estate company “Saint Germain – Empreendimentos Imobiliários, SA”.
The former social-democratic mayor is also accused of «abuse of the powers of a political office holder, malfeasance by a political office holder and document forgery», adds the DIAP of Évora.
The statement adds that, in addition to the former president of the VRSA Chamber, “businessmen in the construction and real estate sector, a municipal employee and a former deputy to the Assembly of the Republic” are also accused.
The investigation covered the activity of Conceição Cabrita, between the years 2019 and 2021, motivated by a «process of selling municipal land for the construction of a large real estate project in Monte Gordo, in municipal public procurement procedures (in which the Municipal Council of Vila Real de Santo António was the contracting entity) and in the licensing of a private work».
Now, according to the DIAP of Évora, the president of the Chamber, as a “municipal political decision-maker” acted “in the exercise and abuse of her public functions and powers” and “intervened in order to achieve advantages for her own benefit and that of third parties, throughout of time, on various matters within the competence of the municipality and in its geographical area».
«In the final order, the Public Prosecutor's Office files a request for loss of benefits against several defendants, with financial and asset investigation pending for the possible deduction of a request for extended loss, with intervention from the Asset Recovery Office», adds the statement.
According to the online edition of Visão magazine, the Public Ministry's accusation states that Conceição Cabrita and António Gameiro – appointed as an intermediary between the real estate company and the municipality – received 100 thousand and 300 thousand euros, respectively, for completing the deal.
In the case of the former PS deputy, the Public Prosecutor's Office says that the amount would also be shared by local authority staff.
Businessmen Carlos and Vítor Matos, owners of the Saint Germain real estate company, as well as the company are accused of active corruption, adds Visão.
Conceição Cabrita was arrested on April 13, 2021, within the scope of «Operation Triângulo», the name given to the investigation that was conducted by DIAP of Évora and the Judiciary Police, and which also involved «search and seizure procedures in the Algarve, Lisbon, Leiria and Santarém».
A land located in Monte Gordo, which was up for public auction more than once, but ended up being sold by direct agreement, was the central element of «Operation Triângulo», as part of which Conceição Cabrita, president of the Chamber of Vila Real de Santo, was arrested António (VRSA).
What is at stake is the sale of a plot of land measuring 5279 square meters, for 5,6 million euros, to the company Saint Germain, owned by businessmen Carlos and Vítor Matos, another of the four people detained in the operation.
The deal ended up advancing by direct award, already after a second attempt at public auction, launched in December 2018, been annulled midway through the process, through a order signed by Conceição Cabrita, even before the opening of the proposals, scheduled for February 22, 2019.
In the order, dated January 11, 2019, No explanation is given as to the reason for the suspension of the public auction.
Now, on April 3, 2020, the Municipal Assembly of VRSA approved the sale deal by direct agreement, with votes in favor from the PSD majority, the party for which Conceição Cabrita was elected, and votes against from the PS and CDU.
The deal was immediately questioned by the opposition, not least because it had a clause that stipulated that the buyer would only pay 50% of the agreed amount upfront, with the rest being paid to the local authority when the projects were completed and licensed.
These were the facts that led the PJ and the Public Prosecutor's Office to suspect that «corruption crimes, improper receipt of advantages and abuse of power».
After being detained and interviewed during judicial interrogation, Conceição Cabrita was prohibited from entering Chamber facilities and contact with its employees, which led it to resign from office, two days after his arrest.
About two and a half years later, there is finally an accusation.
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