José Coelho / Lusa
Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, Mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia
The Constitutional Court (TC) confirmed the loss of mandate of the mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, convicted of the crime of embezzlement, for misuse of a car from the municipality.
In November 2023, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues was convicted by the Court of Vila Nova de Gaia for a crime of embezzlement of use, the loss of mandate and the payment of a fine of 8,400 euros for using, personally, an electric vehicle from the municipality.
The Court of First Instance also sentenced the mayor’s wife for the same crime to pay a fine of the same amount, and the defendants appealed to the Porto Court of Appeal (TRP).
The TRP acquitted Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues’ wife of the crime and the fine applied, but maintained the conviction regarding the loss of the advantage obtained. As for the mayor, the port of Porto reduced the fine to 4,800 euros, maintaining the condemnation of the loss of mandate.
Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues and his wife, who were not reading the sentence of the first instance, issued on November 14, 2023, never made statements on trial.
Use of vehicle “as if it were yours”
The prosecutor’s prosecution (MP) maintained that the defendants “decided to use, by municipal company, following a direct adjustment contract on October 13, 2017,“ upon payment of a monthly income ”of 614 euros.
“As a result of this performance,” says the accusation, the defendants “unduly benefited” from 4,916 euros, the value of the eight rents of the vehicle’s lease – between November 2017 and June 2018.
The mayor and the woman requested the opening of instruction, but the Porto Criminal Instruction Court (ICT) pronounced (decided to take to trial) in December 2021, the couple in the exact terms of the prosecution of the MP, deducted in January of that year.
“I will not lose any mandate and I will take my term to the end”guaranteed the mayor the day after the decision of Porto’s relationship.
But constitutional confirms loss of mandate
This Tuesday, the Constitutional Court (TC) confirmed the loss of mandate of the mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia.
The decision, advanced to the Lusa for a judicial source, following the appeal filed by the socialist mayor to the TC, after, in October 2024, the TRP maintained the condemnation of loss of mandate, decided by the Court of Vila Nova de Gaia (court of first instance), in November 2023.
According to the same source, the TC considered “there was no unconstitutionalities as to the decision of the loss of mandate”.
However, a source of the defense of Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues said to Lusa that this decision is not yet definitive, adding that Will be submitted a complaintthat this time will be relearned at a conference of the TC.
Lusa contacted Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, who said he did not want to make comments: “There will be no statements. The appeal is maintained in the TC, waiting for a final decision,” said the mayor.
