The carefully-prepared appeal by lawyers representing jailed former prime minister José Sócrates looks set to hit the rocks this week as newspapers reveal the Public Ministry is still absolutely dead against any change in the controversial status-quo.
According to media reports today (Tuesday), the risk that Sócrates ‘free’ could “perturb the inquiry” into his alleged corrupt dealings is a “growing one”, according to attorney general Rosário Teixeira.
Thus Teixeira is reported to be contesting the appeal which now has to pass to a higher court and give time for further discussions between the lawyers involved.
As newspapers point out, this is a “determining moment” in the investigation as it is the first time that the case elaborated by so-called super-judge Carlos Alexandre will be considered by an “external screening process” involving three appeal court judges.
