José Araújo and Pedro Delille, the lawyers acting for former Prime Minister José Sócrates (pictured), have used the news of raids on former PT directors’ homes as further proof that the State has run out of steam in the original Operation Marquês inquiry.
As the old suspicions ‘go bankrupt’ new ones are needed in order to prolong the investigation, thus successfully violating the deadlines set by law. This is the claim by Sócrates' defence after the Public Ministry initiated raids on Wednesday morning at PT group companies, former directors’ homes and at a law office.
Prosecutors are looking for "possible financial links between PT and Espírito Santo Group companies” especially any concerning the massive unauthorised loans made by PT to various Espírito Santo companies and the investment PT made in the Brazilian company, 'Oi.'
The lawyers are having none of this and claim "It has long been realised that the tactics of the prosecution are to raise new suspicions to justify further delays."
Sócrates’ lawyers point out that both the old and the new suspicions have in common a lack of concrete facts or proof and Operation Marquês "is based on purely speculative assumptions."
José Araújo and Pedro Delille claim in today’s statement that "The Public Ministry never confronted, as is its legal duty, José Sócrates, with suspicions or facts but merely have throw them into the public arena through the newspapers. These are not suspicions these are insults.
"This is not a process, is a persecution,” claim the lawyers, adding that after “the fiction of Lena Group’s involvement and the invention of Vale de Lobo’s involvement, now Portugal Telecom appears, particularly due to the Sonae takeover bid and the purchase of shares in Brazil’s telecoms company ‘Oi.’
The Sócrates defence team makes the point that Operation Marquês has been dragging on for years, with extensions regularly being granted.
Many hope that the complexity of the prosecutor’s case is being dealt with in a calm and detailed manner and a sound case is being built.
Whether or not these raids on PT companies were a delaying tactic seems immaterial as the State is adept at granting extensions to allow as much time as is needed to ensure José Sócrates can not avoid court due to the expiry of any legal deadlines.
See also: 'Operation Marquês' - former PT Group directors have homes raided
