The secretary-general of the municipal council of Lisbon has been released from custody but has been suspended from his position and barred from returning to his workplace following developments in the Operation Lúmen investigation.
Alberto Laplaine Guimarães is also prohibited from contacting any municipal employees or other suspects involved in the case.
The decision was made by investigating judge Pedro Miguel Vieira, who stated that evidence did not support the existence of a criminal organisation. However, the judge did confirm multiple alleged offences, including 14 counts of abuse of power, one of active corruption and two of passive corruption.
Another suspect – reportedly linked to Castros, a private company involved in the case – was released on bail set at €100,000 and given 10 days to pay. He, along with another company representative, is also suspended from professional duties and banned from contacting those involved in the investigation.
Meanwhile, Carla Salsinha, head of the União de Associações de Comércio e Serviços, has also been suspended from her role and faces similar restrictions on access and communication.
At the centre of the controversy are a number of illegalities relating to public contracts for the installation of Christmas lights in Lisbon, namely public tenders which were bypassed in favour of deals struck at the tables of the “most expensive restaurants”.
