Rui Pinto, creator of Football Leaks, as well as being the mind behind Luanda Leaks, has listed sports personalities, politicians, the national director of the Judiciary Police (PJ) and Edward Snowden as witnesses at his trial, that will begin in September and which accounts for 90 crimes in total.
In the defence, handed over to the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon, and to which press was given access this Tuesday, the defendant's lawyers maintain that, "in addition to the facts in question and the number of witnesses presented by the prosecution", in other words, the Public Ministry, Pinto’s lawyers see it as necessary "to hear from the 45 more witnesses on the list”.
Former MEP Ana Gomes, who has always defended the whisteblower since the situation was brought to light, is the first on the list of witnesses, with other names linked to politics, such as ex-coordinator of the Left Block (BE) Francisco Louçãm, and ex-minister Miguel Poiares Maduro , as well as sports personalities, such as former Sporting President Bruno de Carvalho, Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, and Octávio Machado.
The national director of the Judicial Police (PJ), Luís Neves, and Edward Snowden, the former United States National Security Agency systems administrator who revealed, in 2013, confidential information and illegal espionage programs being carried out by the US government, are other witnesses listed in the defence, penned by lawyers Francisco Teixeira da Mota and Luísa Teixeira da Mota.
Other names included Angolan journalist and civic activist Rafael Marques, sports commentator Rui Santos, Paulo de Morais, a former presidential candidate, as well as several foreign nationals.
Nélio Lucas, former director of Doyen, an investment fund targeted in an extortion attempt carried out by Pinto in October 2015 is another of the indicated witnesses.
Moreover, the defence’s document includes Pinto’s lawyers revealing that they consider a search carried out at the hacker’s residence in Budapest, and the consequent seizure of computer devices, was carried out by an "illegal criminal police body”.
With the details of the Leaks in mind, the list of witnesses, and the claims being put forward, this is set up to be one hell of a trial.
