The First Class of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) made a majority on Saturday (8) to accept the complaint against three deputies of the Liberal Party (PL) accused of involvement in a public money deviation scheme through parliamentary amendments. The case involves deputies Josimar Maranhãozinho (PL-MA), Pastor Gil (PL-MA) e Bosco Costa (PL-SI)who now become defendants and will be responsible for the crimes of criminal organization and passive corruption.
The decision was made in the virtual plenary of the Court, with favorable votes by rapporteur Cristiano Zanin, Alexandre de Moraes and Cármen Lúcia. Ministers Flávio Dino and Luiz Fux still need to present their votes. The trial is still open until March 11.
Indictment
The complaint, filed by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), points out that in 2020, the three parliamentarians asked the then mayor of São José de Ribamar (MA) the payment of R $ 1.66 million in bribes in exchange for the allocation of R $ 6.67 million in parliamentary amendments to the municipality. The investigation conducted by the Federal Police revealed that Josimar Maranhãozinho was leading the alleged scheme and influenced the distribution of resources.
The PF also indicated that Bosco Costa used family members to move part of the diverted values and that the group had loens, bloggers and entrepreneurs in the operation. According to the investigation, those involved even threatened mayors with weapons to ensure the return of up to 25% of the health values of the municipality through the amendments.
Positioning of Ministers
The rapporteur of the case, Minister Cristiano Zanin, said that the elements gathered by the investigation justify the opening of criminal action. “The accusatory thesis that the accused were organized to commit crimes against the public administration gathers sufficient elements to receive the complaint,” he said.
Minister Alexandre de Moraes stressed that the facts presented indicate the practice of “institutionalized corruption”. According to him, “organized crime is one of the biggest problems in the modern world” and needs to be tightly fought.
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Minister Cármen Lúcia also accompanied the rapporteur’s vote, consolidating the majority in the first class of the Supreme Court.
