The minister Luís Roberto Barrosopresident of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and the National Council of Justice (CNJ), the body that oversees the Judiciary, was in Mato Grosso do Sul, on Tuesday (3), for an institutional event. Before the state’s magistrates, he commented on investigations involving suspicions of corruption and sale of decisions at the Court of Justice.
Six judges from Mato Grosso do Sul – five in office and one retired – are being investigated by the Federal Police (PF) and the CNJ Internal Affairs Department. Active magistrates were temporarily removed from office. They are also monitored by an electronic ankle monitor.
Barroso stated that no one should be convicted before trial. “Obviously, at the end of due legal process, if something wrong has happened, we are here for appropriate sanctions. But not before the time”, stated the minister.
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The comments were made during a lecture at the 18th National Meeting of the Judiciary, which took place this year in Mato Grosso do Sul. The event is organized by the CNJ. There were talks to change the meeting location, due to the strain caused by the investigations, but Barroso decided to maintain the schedule.
“We do not pre-judge, we only condemn at the end of due legal process. And, therefore, not holding the event here in Mato Grosso Sul would be a pre-judgment that does not correspond to the way we think life should be lived”, explained the minister.
The president of the STF also stated that institutions “are bigger than the people who may have made mistakes”. “The Judiciary of Mato Grosso do Sul has hundreds of magistrates including judges and judges. Consequently, for us to cancel it because there is an investigation into three people would, in fact, bring discredit to the entire Judiciary, which, in fact, has a high reputation on the national scene”, he said.
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Barroso presented data on the punishment of magistrates by the CNJ. Last year, there were five compulsory retirements and 19 precautionary departures. The minister stated that the numbers are “insignificant” in the universe of judges in Brazil.
“The numbers show that we punish a limited number of judges, but that the Judiciary does not condone wrong things when they happen,” said Barroso.
In addition to Mato Grosso do Sul, judges from six other states – Bahia, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, São Paulo, Espírito Santo and Maranhão – and even advisors from the offices of ministers of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) are being investigated on suspicion of involvement in decision selling scheme. All disciplinary proceedings involving magistrates are processed by the CNJ Internal Affairs Office.
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(With Estadão Content)
