After almost eight years, the trial resulting from Operation Lex began today at the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ), bringing 16 defendants to court, including former judges Rui Rangel and Luís Vaz das Neves, and former Benfica president Luís Filipe Vieira.
According to Judge José Piedade, the rapporteur presiding over the panel of judges, ‘this is an unprecedented situation in (Portugal’s) judicial history.’
Of the 16 defendants (there were originally 17 but one has since died), only one was absent – lawyer Santos Martins, for health reasons. Two others, former footballer João Pinto and former Benfica president João Vale e Azevedo were appointed as assistants in the case, but they were also absent (the latter unsurprisingly).
Total and absolute innocence
At the entrance to the court, Rui Rangel insisted that he is innocent and also revealed that he will be making a statement. Rui Rangel is accused of passive corruption for unlawful acts, abuse of power, undue receipt of benefits, usurpation of functions, tax fraud and document falsification.
Rangel’s lawyer João Nabais also stressed that he believes in his client’s innocence and hopes that ‘justice’ will be done.
The former presiding judge of Lisbon’s Court of Appeal, Luís Vaz das Neves, told reporters that he will speak in court. Vaz das Neves is charged with passive corruption for an illegal act and abuse of power.
“I will make a statement when the judge sees fit (…) I will be fully available,” he told journalists.
Former Benfica president Luís Filipe Vieira, however, did not make any statements upon his arrival at the court this morning. Vieira is accused of receiving undue advantage.
Operation Lex first blasted onto the scene in 2018 when five people were arrested and more than 30 searches were carried out. It originated from a certificate extracted from the Operation Atlantic Route case, which involved football businessman José Veiga, suspected of crimes of corruption in international trade, money laundering, tax fraud and influence peddling.
Charges were formally brought in September of 2020, and included Rangel’s ex-wife and former judge herself Fátima Galante, who faces accusations of passive corruption for unlawful acts, abuse of power, tax fraud and money laundering.
Galante, Rangel and Luís Vaz Neves stand accused of “using their functions at the appeal court to obtain undue advantages, for either themselves or third parties, which they concealed”.
Back in 2020, in order to guarantee payment of the advantages allegedly obtained by the defendants, the Attorney General’s Office authorised the seizing of assets amounting to more than €1.5 million.
While the investigation was ongoing, the Superior Council of Magistrates decided to expel Rangel from the judiciary and place Fátima Galante on compulsory retirement.
Vaz das Neves retired in 2016.
Sources: SIC/ Jornal de Notícias
