The fugitive appeared: 13 days later, he handed himself in at the Ponte de Sor Court

There were no incidents on his return to the place from which he had fled. Manuel Moura Machado points out responsibilities for family members.

The man who ran away do Court of Ponte de Sordistrict of Portalegre, on the 13th, where he was being interrogated, surrendered this Tuesday in the same location, a GNR source told the Lusa agency.

The 37-year-old man was admitted to the Ponte de Sor Court “between 2:30 pm and 3 pm”, revealed the Guarda source, adding that there were no incidents recorded.

The adds that the fugitive, Manuel Moura Machado, appeared alongside his attorney, Aníbal Pinto.

Last week, the fugitive – accused of attempted murder – published a message in which he announced that he would turn himself in soon.

In the same message, he admitted that he had done something serious, that he was sorry, but pointed out responsibilities to his family members, who will be involved in the reason that led to his arrest: “The people who are involved in this are also guilty”. They are “98% to blame for the acts I committed, but I’m not running away”.

The man fled that court on the 13th of this month and, according to information released that day by the presiding judge of the District of Portalegre, Francisco Galvão Correia, the security incident took place during the preparation of a judicial interrogation, related to attempted homicide crimes.

The magistrate reported that “multiple shots” inside and around the court, with GNR soldiers present in the building chasing the fleeing defendant.

According to the presiding judge of the District of Portalegre, in recent months, “several episodes of disturbances e aggressions” associated with the presence of “rival groups” in the district’s courts, which “even demanded police intervention”.

“Following these incidents, the district’s management bodies requested assessments regarding the reinforcement of security conditions in judicial buildings, including the possible installation of access control devices, such as metal detector gantries, video surveillance systems and reinforcement of in-person surveillance”, he reported.

Francisco Galvão Correia said that the District of Portalegre had already reported, in April, “concerns related to safety conditions” in courts without permanent supervision.

“The events that occurred reinforce the need to ensure adequate security conditions in the courts, guaranteeing the protection of all professionals and citizens who use judicial buildings”, added the presiding judge.

In questions delivered to parliament and addressed to the Minister of Justice, Rita Júdice, deputies from PS and the He arrives They demanded clarification from the Government regarding the escape from the Ponte de Sor Court by this accused, who was under arrest.

The Ministry of Justice reported, on the 14th, that the security needs of the Ponte de Sor Court were reassessed this year and that procedures are underway to reactivation of cells in the building.

“The security needs of the Ponte de Sor Court were reassessed this year, given the growth [populacional] of the municipality and the consequent increase in occurrences at the facilities”, explained the Ministry of Justice, in a statement sent to Lusa.

In the same note, the ministry said that, “in conjunction with the Judicial Court of the District of Portalegre, it integrated the court [de Ponte de Sor] in the national contract for surveillance and human security of the courts”.

“Thus, since March 2026, the building has permanent security on site”, he said, noting that this measure “did not exist previously”.

And, “with this basis assured”, the guardianship revealed that “procedures for installing a security portal” are now being launched, equipment that, “for operational reasons, only makes sense where there is permanent human surveillance”.