Case of the twins: PJ searched the Ministry of Health and Santa Maria Hospital; Lacerda Sales is accused in the case
The Judiciary Police (PJ) and the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP) of Lisbon carried out searches at the Ministry of Health, Social Security, Santa Maria Hospital and also m in a “home†, this Thursday, “aimed at collecting documentation†, according to the Public Ministry. According to the PJ, 11 search warrants were executed, †in order to consolidate the ongoing investigation.”
At issue is the case of Portuguese-Brazilian twins with spinal muscular atrophy who were administered the drug Zolgensma in Portugal.
There were around 50 inspectors from the PJ’s National Anti-Corruption Unit (UNCC), together with prosecutors from DIAP in Lisbon, who are carrying out the searches.
These are crimes of malfeasance, abuse of powers, qualified fraud and influence peddling.
The PJ’s statement confirms that with the carrying out of this operation, “the aim is to collect telecommunications and computer equipment, evidence of a documentary nature, electronic mail, elements that will be o subjected to examinations and expertise”.
Lacerda Sales is accused in the case
The main objective of these investigations is to collect documentation, files and emails from computers belonging to the Ministry of Health, the hospital and the State Department of Health, which was led at the time by Lacerda Sales, who is one of the main targets in this operation. According to Sic Noticias, the former ruler was named a defendant in the case a few days ago. And he has already been the target of house searches.
Lacerda Sales became aware of the health case of the two children after a meeting with Nuno Rebelo de Sousa, son of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. He later asked, through his secretary, to schedule an appointment for the twins at Santa Maria Hospital. The authorities suspect that there was also pressure from the son of the President of the Republic at the Belém Palace to open doors to consultations and treatment for Portuguese-Brazilian twins.
The PJ searches take place on a day that would already be marked by the same case, with the start of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry. However, the work will only begin on June 17th, after Lacerda Sales declared that he had no agenda to be present on the originally scheduled date.
