In what may well be a ruse to focus on the government’s lack of progress over the hideous Ponte de Sôr beating of a 15-year-old boy by the sons of the Iraqi ambassador last August, TVI television revealed last night that con artists have been posing as the lawyer of the savaged teen – trying to broker a deal.
The station said ambassador Saad Mohammed Ali was “about to hand over €30,000” when it suddenly became clear he was dealing with an imposter.
The real lawyer told TVI “they called me to say they had reached a deal and they wanted me to bring some documents”.
“It was the first contact I had had with them”, Santana-Maia Leonardo told the station. “
What it seems is that someone else has been negotiating with the embassy in my name since August”.
“I have never had any contact with either the ambassador or the embassy”, the lawyer added, explaining that legally this would be impossible as the twins are represented by their own counsel, and any kind of negotiations would have to go through legal channels.
Santana-Maia Leonardo claims he intends to prosecute the con artist, who has not been identified.
Meantime, the truth of this story is that vows by Foreign Affairs minister Augusto Santos Silva to ensure the lifting of the twins’ diplomatic immunity so that they can face prosecution have led nowhere.
Iraqi officials have let all deadlines fall without making the only decision that will put this matter to rest.
Rúben Cavaco requires extensive dental treatment at the very least, and his mother Vânia Pires has said the psychological consequences of the beating that led to him being put into an induced coma for almost a week will very possibly stay with him forever.
