Supreme Court of Justice orders State to pay 50,000 euros to defendant acquitted in Tancos case
The Supreme Court of Justice has ruled that the State must compensate a defendant in the Tancos case with 50,000 euros. The defendant was acquitted after spending more than two years in pre-trial detention.
Supreme Court of Justice orders State to pay 50,000 euros to defendant acquitted in Tancos case
The Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) has determined that the Portuguese State must pay 50,000 euros in compensation to one of the defendants in the Tancos case, who was acquitted after spending two years and five months in pre-trial detention.
The decision by Portugal's highest judicial authority reverses the previous understanding of the Lisbon Court of Appeal. The case dates back to the theft of military equipment that occurred at the 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment in Tancos, one of the most high-profile criminal cases in recent years in Portugal.
The defendant in question had the most serious restrictive measure imposed on him during the criminal investigation period, but was subsequently acquitted at trial. Faced with this situation, he filed a request for compensation for the time he spent in detention.
According to Jornal de Notícias, the STJ judges based their decision on the principle that the claimant does not need to prove his innocence to be entitled to compensation from the State. The mere fact of having been acquitted and having served pre-trial detention is sufficient to justify financial compensation.
The determination of the amount at 50,000 euros reflects the period of two years and five months that the defendant spent deprived of liberty before being declared not guilty of the crimes attributed to him within the scope of this case.
Source: RTP Notícias
Source: RTP