Accounts court delivers devasting report on contract signed by Caminha town council

Former mayor of Caminha Miguel Alves may have to pay back almost €400,000 to reimburse the municipality for a dodgy deal that essentially saw it paying rent for premises that did not exist. The Accounts Court (Tribunal de Contas) has concluded that the municipality (led by Alves) committed illegalities and caused damage to the public purse. Both he, the current mayor and a female councillor also face fines of up to €18,360. But reports stress that the Accounts Court even so “considers it improbable that the municipality will recover the monies lost”.