Gaia’s former deputy mayor handed eight and a half year jail term – Portugal Resident

The trial of various defendants arrested in Operation Babel – yet another investigation into corruption and favouritism in urban planning – has ended with effective jail terms for four main players.

This case hit the headlines in 2023, providing various ‘surprising details’ – including the exchange of large wads of cash in public lavatories.

Like many before it, Babel centred on “the  perversion of rules and instructions relating to urban licensing”, but it was slightly more ‘sexy’ than others as it involved “promoters associated with projects of high density and magnitude” (…) At stake were “real estate interests in the order of €300 million, through the offer and acceptance of financial rewards”.

Fast forward to today, and four of the men originally arrested have now been condemned: the former deputy mayor of Gaia, Patrocíno Azevedo, received an eight and a half year jail term;  lawyer João Lopes (seven years, nine months), real estate promoter Paulo Malafaia (seven years) and Israeli businessman Elad Dror (six years).

It is believed that all four will be appealing, and thus for the time being they remain ‘free’.

The court ruling however states that judges were left “with the absolute conviction” that all four are guilty of the various crimes of corruption levelled against them.

Azevedo appears to have received the highest jail term for the fact that he was a public official who is seen to have used his influence to further the interests of Malafaia and Dror in urban development projects to be carried out in Gaia –  especially the Skyline/Cultural and Congress Center project and the Riverside real estate project – in exchange for goods – including four watches, and three deliveries of cash – and to the detriment of public interests.

Azevedo’s condemnation also prevents him from exercising any public role for the next eight years.

The court ruling referred to a point in the relationship between Azevedo and the accused businessmen where they  ‘stopped asking (for favours) and started demanding’ them.

In the Skyline/Cultural and Conference Centre project, the court concluded that Patrocínio Azevedo had a ‘strong desire to realise an iconic project in Gaia, a lifelong dream’, designed by the renowned architect Souto Moura, which he believed would bring him future ‘political dividends’.

In this regard, ‘at the service and disposal of private individuals’, he advocated increasing the building capacity on the site for the Skyline/Cultural and Congress Centre development.

As for the Riverside urban development project at Quinta de Santo António, the court understands that Patrocínio Azevedo received three cash payments – and the four watches – in return for inside information and favourable decisions.

The court also found it proven that Azevedo intervened on behalf of the interests of other property projects associated with Malafaia and Dror.

At the end of the reading of the judgment, lawyers requested more time to lodge appeals. They have been given an additional 30 days to the 60 days provided for by law.

Source material: noticiasaominuto/ Lusa