Funchal mayor detained on corruption charges, Madeira president is also being investigated

LISBON - The mayor of Funchal Pedro Calado (PSD) and two managers linked to the AFA construction group were detained as part of the searches that the PJ carried out on Wednesday across the country, said a source linked to the investigation.

The president of the Regional Government of Madeira Miguel Albuquerque is also being investigated.

The Judiciary Police (PJ - Portugal's main criminal investigation agency) carried out around 130 home and non-home searches today in connection with three investigations led by the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP), which are investigating crimes of active and passive corruption, economic participation in business, malfeasance, receiving or offering undue advantage, abuse of power and influence peddling.

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As part of this police operation, three people suspected of committing these crimes were detained out of flagrante delicto, the PJ said in a statement, without revealing their identities or where the arrests were made. The detainees will be brought before the relevant judicial authority, at the Central Criminal Investigation Court in Lisbon, to be heard in a first judicial questioning and subsequent application of coercive measures.

A source linked to the investigation told Lusa news agency the detainees are the mayor of Funchal Pedro Calado and two officials linked to the AFA group in Madeira and Braga.

The searches were carried out in Madeira (Funchal, Câmara de Lobos, Machico and Ribeira Brava), Greater Lisbon (Oeiras, Linda-a-Velha, Porto Salvo, Bucelas and Lisbon), Braga, Porto, Paredes, Aguiar da Beira and Ponta Delgada (Azores).

"The measures carried out were aimed at gathering additional evidence in order to consolidate the investigations into the crimes of active and passive corruption, economic participation in business, malfeasance, undue receipt or offer of an advantage, abuse of power and influence peddling," the PJ said in a press release.

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Today's police operation involved two investigating judges, six public prosecutors from DCIAP and six members of the Technical Advisory Unit (NAT) of the public prosecutor's office, as well as 270 criminal investigators and experts from the PJ.

"The inquiries referred to are investigating facts that could involve possible illicit practices related to the award of public contracts for the acquisition of goods and services, in exchange for financing private activity; suspicions of sponsorship of private activity in return for support and intervention in the award of tender procedures to specific commercial companies; the awarding of public contracts for civil construction works, to the illegitimate benefit of specific commercial companies and to the detriment of other competitors, with a serious distortion of public procurement rules, in exchange for financing political activity and personal expenses," according to the PJ.

The residence of the leader of Madeira's regional government was also searched this morning, according to Lusa.

Miguel Albuquerque (PSD) has announced that he will remain in office, despite the investigation.

“I’ve never had any case of corruption” and “no one buys me” were phrases used by the president of the Regional Government when questioned by reporters, maintaining that Madeirans have known him “for a long time”.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Funchal mayor detained, Madeira president is being investigated