Supreme Court halted investigation into Marcelo in the twin sisters case
The Supreme Court of Justice refused to open proceedings against former President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in the twin sisters case, as the Public Prosecution Service did not consider him a suspect.
Supreme Court blocked inquiry into Marcelo in the twin sisters case
The Supreme Court of Justice halted the investigation into former President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in the context of the luso-Brazilian twin sisters case, according to sabado.pt. Counsellor judge Celso Manata refused to open proceedings, based on the fact that the Public Prosecution Service had not considered the then President as a suspect — a position confirmed by the two magistrates responsible for the inquiry.
The case reached the Supreme Court after the examining judge of the Lisbon Central Court for Investigative Proceedings concluded, weeks before the searches at Santa Maria Hospital, that the suspicions in question extended to the Presidency of the Republic. The magistrate understood that the Central Court for Investigative Proceedings would not have jurisdiction to decide on the judicial acts requested by the Public Prosecution Service concerning the President, since he could only be investigated by the Supreme Court. A certificate was therefore sent to that higher court.
The searches encompassed Santa Maria Hospital, the residence of Daniela Martins — mother of the children — and the home of former Secretary of State for Health, Lacerda Sales.
Until the closure of the investigation, neither Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa nor any member of his Civil Cabinet were heard as suspects, despite the existence of several emails from the Presidency to the Government regarding the situation of the twin sisters. The former Head of the Civil Cabinet, Fernando Frutuoso de Melo, and former adviser Maria João Ruela were heard only in their capacity as witnesses.
The Public Prosecution Service accused former Secretary of State Lacerda Sales and Nuno Rebelo de Sousa — businessman and son of the former President — of abuse of power and malfeasance. Daniela Martins was accused of qualified fraud, unrelated to the children's vaccinations, but concerning the prescription of two electric wheelchairs.
Commentator Luís Rosa analysed the decision, stating that he saw "no reason for a formal investigation into Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa".
Source: CNN Portugal