Lisbon car parking entity in corruption probe

Searches carried out this morning by Portuguese Judiciary Police (PJ) in Lisbon are related to consultancy contracts signed between municipal companies and parish councils with private companies, with suspicions of corruption and undue receipt of advantage, the police force has said.

Sources at EMEL – Lisbon Municipal Mobility and Parking Company and the Municipal Assembly have also confirmed the headquarters of both entities are being searched, referring further information to the PJ.

Meanwhile, police say they carried out 11 non-home search warrants to gather “evidence related to the criminal practices under investigation” as part of an enquiry led by the 1st Section of the Lisbon Regional Criminal Investigation and Prosecution Department.

“At stake are suspicions of the practice of the crimes of undue receipt of advantage, corruption and economic participation in business,” said the statement, adding that the investigation focuses on the conclusion of consultancy contracts between Lisbon municipal companies, the parish councils of Santa Maria Maior, Misericórdia and São Vicente, and private companies.

The execution of the warrants were carried out through the National Anti-Corruption Unit, with the support of the Technological and Computer Forensics Unit, and accompanied by a criminal investigation judge and magistrates from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Contacted by Lusa, Miguel Coelho, president of the Santa Maria Maior parish council, confirmed that police had asked for specific documents “which were provided”.

He said he would have to explain the matter later in a statement.

Lusa