Councilor Genilson Costa (Republicans) was re-elected president of the Boa Vista City Council, in Roraima, in a ceremony held last Wednesday (1st). He is being investigated by the Federal Police (PF) on suspicion of leading a vote buying scheme in the 2024 elections.
within the scope of Operation Martellus, and was re-elected with 3,744 votes. He was released days later.
According to the PF, the investigation in which he is the target began after the arrest of ten people in the act. The survey shows that voters would have received between R$100 and R$150 to vote for the councilor.
The investigators also pointed out that the politician had received sponsorship from drug trafficking, including for the race for president of the Chamber.
On October 6, the councilor had already been arrested, but was released after requesting a habeas corpus.
At the time, a search and seizure conducted by the corporation identified the practice of numerous electoral crimes, culminating in the arrest of the candidate for committing crimes of electoral corruption, money laundering and for having gold in his residence.
On social media, after taking office, the parliamentarian commented on his re-election as president of the Legislative House: “I will continue to do my best to seek the improvements that our city most needs”.
Accountability
The Public Ministry of Roraima released a positive opinion for the collection and application of financial resources in the 2024 electoral campaign from Costa’s accounts — but with reservations.
The document sent in December 2024 by electoral promoter Ilaine Pagliarini pointed out an inconsistency in the “disproportionate” number of saints made by the councilor.
“We observed the contracting of services for the making of one million saints, which proved to be disproportionate considering, above all, the absence of hiring activists to distribute material in the campaign, as well as the number of voters in this capital”, wrote the promoter.
The Regional Electoral Court of Roraima (TRE-RR) approved the accounts with the precautions of the Public Ministry, and ordered the return of R$21,450 to the National Treasury. The amount would refer to the cost of 650 thousand saints contracted above what was necessary.
As for the declaration of personal assets, the only one made by Genilson was R$ 120,000.00 in cash. The Candidacy and Electoral Accounts Disclosure portal does not display any justification for the value.
A CNN He contacted the Boa Vista City Council and the councilor’s press office for comment and received no response. The space remains open.
