Former prime minister José Sócrates is to remain in custody, according to his lawyer João Araújo.

Journalists waited for the announcement on Monday evening while Judge Carlos Alexandre listened to the debate between prosecution and defence for three hours. The decision was communicated by Sócrates' lawyer at around 10pm.

Former prime minister José Sócrates has been in court all day answering further questions but later may be released under restrictions, according to his lawyer João Araújo who, when asked by reporters outside the Criminal Court of Lisbon how Sócrates was faring, joked - ‘better than me.’

Home based detention with restrictions also may be announced for the other defendants Carlos Santos Silva, a longtime manager and friend of José Sócrates, Gonçalo Ferreira Trindade, a lawyer, and João Perna, José Sócrates’ driver.

José Sócrates continues to be questioned by judge Carlos Alexandre and will spend a third night behind bars at the central command police station in Moscavide, Lisbon.

The former prime minister was up bright and early this morning and was presented to the judge at the Campus of Justice at 08.35.

Confirmation that Sócrates will spend a third night in the PSP cells came from his lawyer, João Araújo.

The former PM’s next judicial interrogation at the Central Court of Criminal Investigation will start on Monday morning at 09.15. This session follows Sunday’s 12 hour stint at the Campus of Justice.

The Attorney General's Office confirmed the arrest at Lisbon's Portela airport last night of the former prime minister of Portugal, José Sócrates who was met by police after an Air France flight arrived from paris at 22.45pm.

The Office confirmed also that a total of four arrests now have been made, including the arrest of the former prime minister, as part of an investigation by the Central Department of Investigation and Penal Action into tax fraud, money laundering and corruption.

The judges of the Court of Auditors have criticised sharply the behaviour and actions of one of José Sócrates' Secretaries of State, Rocha Andrade.

At issue is the purchase of Kamov helicopters, the fact they were late in being delivered, that the taxpayer was charged €22,000 an hour for replacements hired to fight fires, and that the government did not apply penalty clauses in full.

Members of Portugal’s Socialist Party are adopting a high-risk strategy by stoutly defending the former party leader and Prime Minister José Sócrates against suspicions of tax fraud and money laundering.  

Mutterings of a ‘black campaign’ and ‘slander’ have reached the national press in a series of deliberate briefings, leaks and comments on social media.