Portugal’s ex-PM Socrates to stand trial for his charges

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LISBON, 10 April, 2021 (TON): Indicted for money laundering and forgery of documents, Portugal's former Prime Minister Jose Socrates will be the country's first head of government to stand trial, according to Friday’s decision by Judge Ivo Rosa.

While calling out to the cprruption charges, the magistrate said, "the facts against the accused are insufficient to uphold an indictment for passive corruption."

Socrates, who served as prime minister between 2005 and 2011, was accused in 2017 of 31 crimes of passive corruption, money laundering, forgery of documents, and tax fraud, in a process that has lasted seven years.

Prosecutors alleged that Socrates received around 34 million euros (40.5 million dollars) between 2005 and 2015 from companies.

However, Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Friday declined to comment on the lawsuit involving Socrates, whom he has always called a "friend."

 

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