The lawyer for the former vice-president of the chamber of Gaia asked for the acquittal of Patrocínio Azevedo who, he says, always acted taking into account the public interest of the municipality. Previously, the Public Ministry had requested in the final arguments a sentence of 8 to 12 years in prison for the former mayor.
The proof requires “serious, precise and consistent” evidence, but in the case of Operation Babel what there are messages, surveillance and wiretaps that allow for different interpretations.
The argument comes from the defense lawyer of the former vice-president of the Gaia chamber, who also says that, where the Public Ministry saw corruption, it should have seen considered decisions, with a view to the public interest of the municipality and not private advantages.
Previously, in the final arguments of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which lasted for several sessions, the prosecutor had asked the former mayor for a sentence of between eight and 12 years in prison, preferably above 10 years in prison.
Furthermore, he argued that Patrocínio Azevedo, who was no. 2 in the municipality from 2013 to 2023, should be prevented from exercising public functions for six years.
The former number two of the Chamber of Gaia is suspected of having received financial compensation, through his friend and lawyer João Pedro Lopes, to facilitate the licensing of luxury urban projects from Grupo Fortera and Paulo Malafaia.
