EDP case: Manuel Pinho sentenced to 10 years in prison, Alexandra Pinho to more than 4 years and Ricardo Salgado to more than 6 years
After eight months of trial, the EDP case is about to come to an end. Former Economy Minister, Manuel Pinho, was sentenced to 10 years of effective sentence for corruption and tax fraud by judge Ana Paula Rosa, after proving that the former ruler and his wife, Alexandra Pinho, illegally received almost 5 million euros (4 million and 943 thousand euros), and that they made an agreement to favor BES/GES.
The judge sentenced Alexandra Pinho to four years and eight months suspended sentence. Former banker Ricardo Salgado was sentenced to six years and three months for corruption and money laundering.
“When he was chosen to occupy the position of minister, Ricardo Salgado promised him [a Manuel Pinho]to unduly benefit directly and indirectly the interests of BES and GES, to always be available to receive 15 thousand euros per month”, said the judge, according to the SIC NotÃcias.
It was also proven that the couple opened an offshore account in Panama, in order to hide the money received illicitly.
“Manuel Pinho always acted in pursuit of the interests of Ricardo Salgado and not public interests†, “he traded with a public position in violation of the law (…) and traded with the position, putting into question the citizen’s trust in the Government,” the judge also stated, at the hearing where the sentence was announced.
The former ruler will be sentenced for corruption and Ricardo Salgado for active corruption.
For Ana Paula Cruz, Manuel Pinho acted in accordance with a “previously outlined scheme, violating the functional duties of a minister†and was “permanently available to promote and favor the interests of the EspÃrito Santo Group (GES)†. The conduct, he added, “seriously harmed the public image of the Republic†and violated “the essential trust between citizens and the State†.
