Another session of the trial of the so -called Operation Babel was taken, which investigates suspicions of corruption in the licensing of works in Gaia. This Wednesday continued to be heard the businessman of real estate Paulo Malafaia, who lounge the former vice president of the municipality, Patrocínio Azevedo, the main face of the process.
Paulo Malafaia started this Wednesday for reinforcing what I had already said in the previous session: yes, delivered 25 thousand euros, but no, the money was not for Patrocínio Azevedo. The businessman had already admitted the delivery of a bag with 25 thousand euros, in a NorteShopping bathroom, in June 2021, to lawyer João Pedro Lopes.
The money, believes the accusation, was from Elad Dron, founder of the Fortara Group, and should arrive, after passing through Malafaia and João Pedro Lopes, to the then vice-president of the Chamber of Gaia, to speed up and accelerate the licensing of a Great work.
Now in court, Paulo Malafaia, who has been in pre -trial detention since May 2023, denies this thesis. Ensures that the money bag was really for the lawyer and not for the mayor and that If it was caught in the ears of the sponsorship named the name.
The version coincides with that of João Pedro Lopes who, last week, had told the judges that he was eager for money and, therefore, used the name of the former vice president but that, in fact, the bag he received in Shopping center bathroom has always been to you.
16 defendants in trial
among them Patrocínio Azevedo, former vice-mayor of Gaia, businessman Paulo Malafaia, lawyer João Pedro Lopes and Elad Dron, one of the largest real estate promoters in the country.
In trial are alleged crimes of corruption in the licensing of works in Gaia. Real estate interests are at stake of around 300 million euros.
