THE BALL – Paulo Gonçalves sentenced: «I will always be the ‘mole’» (Justice)

The Public Ministry (MP) asked, in the closing arguments of the trial of the e-mole process, at the Campus da Justiça, in Lisbon, for the conviction of Paulo Gonçalves, Benfica’s former legal advisor, and José Augusto Silva and Júlio Loureiro, judicial employees.

«The court is in a position to conclude that the performance of Júlio Loureiro, together with José Augusto Silva, corresponded in return for Paulo Gonçalves with preferential treatment, embodied in tickets, invitations, access to the parking lot and merchandising of the club», claimed Luís Ribeiro , prosecutor of the MP, without commenting on the possible duration of the sentences.

«It is expected that a conviction will be handed down», he continued, determined to show the «high degree of illegality» in relation to Paulo Gonçalves and José Augusto Silva. [acusado de um crime de corrupção passiva, seis de violação do segredo de justiça, 21 de violação de segredo por funcionário, nove de acesso indevido, nove de violação do dever de sigilo, 28 de acesso ilegítimo e um de peculato]while about Júlio Loureiro [acusado de um crime de corrupção passiva] assumed that there had been a ‘more limited intervention’.

Accused of six crimes of violation of judicial secrecy, 21 of violation of secrecy by an employee, nine of improper access, nine of violation of the duty of secrecy, in co-authorship, in addition to one crime of active corruption, two of improper access and two of violation of the duty of secrecy, Paulo Gonçalves addressed the group of judges to highlight the way he behaved throughout the trial.

“I am already condemned, I will always be the mole. I will live with this for the rest of my life”, he said, confident that “the court has already figured out who the defendant Paulo Gonçalves is”, as he developed later: “I could say as a practicing Catholic that I am only concerned with divine justice, but this is not true. I also care about the justice of men and I have always been here, although by public justice I am already condemned. In view of what has happened and the attitude I have shown, let the court do the justice of the court and not the justice of public opinion.”

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