The driving school owner who reported corruption among driving test examiners said that one told him that €5,000 would ‘make life easier’ for his driving test candidates.
According to António Fontes, the owner of driving schools in Cabeceiras de Basto and Vila Nova de Famalicão, the examiners asked for money and also requested gifts such as "brand name boots."
These statements were made at Braga court during the corruption trial over payments for driving test passes from the Vila Verde Examination Center of the National Association of Automotive Driving Education.
There are 47 defendants, including examiners, instructors and a member of the GNR.
At the trial today, António Fontes added that, after he had complained, the failure rate of students from his driving schools went up dramatically.
The aim of the scam was for the students to be ‘assisted’ by examiners in exchange for money in amounts ranging from €1,000 to €1,500 for the theory exams, and €100 to €150 for the practical tests.
But there were those who paid more, as was the case of footballer Fábio Coentrão, who shelled out €4,000.
All payments had to be made in cash, "because payment by cheque was refused."
The prosecution says that under this scheme, five examiners were able to collect €1.1 million over the years and the State has demanded that their fines should equal this amount.
The corruption involved driving schools in Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Vizela and Guimarães and took place between 2008 and 2013.
In the long-running investigation by the Judicial Police, several newly qualified drivers were questioned by the prosecution which opted for a provisional suspension of the cases against them as long as the drivers made a sizeable donation to charity
In Fábio Coentrão’s case, this helped the local food bank by his €3,000 'donation.'
The case continues.
