This time it’s a member of the Guinean parliament… (see update below)
Following the arrest of a public prosecutor from Guinea Bissau for drug trafficking through Lisbon airport, a second public servant from the former African colony has been caught ‘in flagrante’ the same way.
Member of parliament Manuel Irénio Nascimento was arrested on Tuesday after 13 kilos of cocaine were found ‘hidden in his luggage’.
President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló – a head of State who has recently described his country as a permanent ally of Russia – has already lamented the detention of Eduardo Mancanha (the public prosecutor found carrying two kilos of cocaine into the country), suggesting that the case is now being ‘treated’ by two magistratures in two countries.
Guinean newspaper “O Democrata” has referred to the newly arrested MP – known as “Manelinho” (little Manuel) – as a businessman who invests in the quarry sector, as well as a political leader.
‘Manelinho’ is one of 15 ‘dissident MPs’ of the PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde) who broke away in 2015 to form MADEM-G 15, which has become the ‘second largest political force’ in the country. He also presided over the Guinea-Bissau football federation for eight years before being dismissed, in 2020, by FIFA after being found guilty of failing to protect the physical and mental integrity of a man who was the victim of a mass attack. ‘Manelinho’ was barred from maintaining links with football for the next 10 years, O Democrata adds.
The 57-year-old is now in preventive custody in Lisbon. According to a judicial source, he was presented for initial questioning by a judge, who decided on the “most serious” form of coercive measure: pre-trial detention.
O Democrata cites Correio da Manhã/ Portugal’s PJ police referring to strong suspicions that Manelinho is connected to the practice of trafficking large quantities of cocaine.
His detention followed a two-year investigation carried out by DCIAP (department of criminal investigation and penal action).
According to CM, the probe has been realised in cooperation with other countries where the activities of a criminal group are being investigated, suspeced of introducing, in Porutgal, via air, elevated quantities of cocaine coming from Latin America and the Caribbean, for onward distribution throughout Europe.
In the course of the investigation, it has already been possible to detect and apprehend, at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airport, around 810,000 individual doses of cocaine transported in ‘unaccompanied baggage’, writes O Democrata.
Meantime, it is unclear from Lusa’s text whether Eduardo Mancanha is still in preventive custody. According to a statement by the Guinean Public Prosecutor’s Superior Council of Magistrature, he has meantime been “suspended from functions” (meaning he is no longer considered a credited public prosecutor).
UPDATE: As this text went up online, Lusa reported on a third African individual, travelling on a diplomatic passport into Portugal, via Lisbon airport, being detained after 140,000 individual doses of cocaine were found in his luggage.
The 64-year-old has been presented before a magistrate for initial questioning, and he too is now in pre-trial detention.
Source material: LUSA
