Suspicions also involve alleged aiding of illegal immigration
On a day when politicians ostensibly get to grips with a culture of cronyism and corruption that has been seen to pervade almost every walk of Portuguese life, the Superior Council of Magistrature has ‘expelled’ one of its own, following an investigation into money-laundering and suspicions that he may have aided illegal immigration.
Hélder Elias Claro was the subject of searches six months ago, when he was ‘sitting’ as a judge in Vila Real do Santo António, in the Algarve.
An investigation into suspicions that prompted the searches began four years ago, writes SIC Notícias. The judge was reportedly ‘caught’ in (tapped) telephone conversations, following which he was officially cited as an ‘arguido’ (suspect).
According to tabloid Correio da Manhã, suspicions involve money-laundering through the purchase of real estate and cryptocurrency schemes. There is also the issue of allegedly aiding illegal immigration.
“At the same time as investigations continue, the Superior Council of Magistrature opened a disciplinary process that arrived at the ‘most serious sanction’: expulsion”, explains SIC.
“The Plenary considered that there had been a violation of the duty of exclusivity and the practice of acts that, due to their nature and repercussions, are incompatible with the requirements of independence, impartiality and dignity indispensable to the exercise of the functions proper to a judicial magistrate, under the terms of the Statute of Judicial Magistrates,” read the decision.
Hélder Elias Claro is the fourth judge since 2020 to receive this most serious sanction.
Operation Babel at root of investigation
The investigation into the now ex-judge led to pre-trial detention of Paulo Malafaia, a real estate businessman, accused in two cases involving the municipalities of Espinho and Gaia.
This resulted in the “birth of Operation Babel last year, in which the former deputy mayor of Gaia is also on remand”, explains SIC.
Hélder Elias Claro used to sit in Matosinhos court. He was transferred to the court of Vila Real do Santo António relatively recently.
Says Expresso, “now that he is no longer a judge, (Claro) could appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice, but it will be very difficult to revert the decision”. What is expected to happen is that the investigation will continue, and the case will return to the court of criminal instruction in Porto.
Expresso stresses that the former judge has not been formally accused by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The suspect real estate business deals are being investigated by the PJ (judicial police) and Porto DIAP (department of investigation and penal action). ND
Source material: SIC Notícias/ Expresso
