Lisbon court threatens Navy chief with new fine for judicial obstruction
Judge Tânia Gomes warned Admiral Jorge Nobre de Sousa of possible new penalty in proceedings against three military personnel accused of disclosing state secrets.
Lisbon court threatens Navy chief with new fine for judicial obstruction
Judge Tânia Gomes of the Lisbon Central Criminal Court issued a fresh warning to the commander of the Navy General Staff, threatening him with additional penalties if he maintains conduct deemed harmful to the progress of proceedings against three naval personnel.
The three defendants face charges relating to the alleged disclosure of confidential data connected to the ship NRP Mondego. The incident that led to the accusation occurred in the autonomous region of Madeira, when approximately ten personnel refused to comply with an order to escort a Russian vessel.
In June, the court had already penalised the Navy's top official with a fine of 816 euros after two military witnesses failed to be summoned within legal deadlines. Now the admiral has submitted new documents which the judge described as "harmless, irrelevant and devoid of value", interpreting the gesture as a deliberate attempt to delay the investigation phase.
The judge emphasised that external parties cannot issue opinions on judicial decisions outside the procedural mechanisms provided. She also noted that payment of the first fine, made the day before the request for clarification, demonstrates that the interested party himself recognised the weakness of the arguments presented.
The defence of the naval personnel suspect that the amount of the penalty came from institutional coffers, which the Navy denied, stating that the admiral used his own resources.
The incident in Madeira gave rise to two separate proceedings: the present one, which targets three military personnel for alleged breach of official secrecy, and another, still in investigation phase, which involves the 13 personnel who disobeyed the mission. The Public Prosecutor's Office argues that the NRP Mondego, despite presenting technical problems — such as cracks in the deck and mechanical damage — maintained capacity to set sail.
The hearing of the witnesses who failed to appear in June was scheduled for 23 September. The main trial began on 22 April, with the panel of judges refusing the exclusion of the military judge proposed by the defence.
Source: Correio da Manhã
Source: Correio da Manhã