NEWS IN ENGLISH – Supreme Court majority rules that congressmen received mensalão payments and find six guilty of corruption

01/10/2012 10:20

Débora Zampier       Reporter Agencia Brasil  

Brasilia – After the 29th session of the Penal Case 470 trial, known as the “big monthly allowance” (“mensalão”), which took place on Thursday, September 27, a majority of the justices ruled that six of the seven present or former members of the Chamber of Deputies were guilty of at least passive corruption, that is, receiving money to support the first administration of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva between 2003 and 2004. This chapter in the trial is known as the "political core" ("núcleo político") because most of the defendants are members of political parties that were government allies, or became government allies.

Federal Deputy Valdemar Costa Neto (now in the PR, representing SP) who was in the PL at the time, and Pedro Corrêa, a former president of the PP, have been found guilty of passive corruption and money laundering by a majority of the Supreme Court (that is, at least six votes).

Former deputies Roberto Jefferson (PTB), Romeu Queiroz (PTB), José Borba (PMDB) and Bispo Rodrigues (PL) were all found guilty of passive corruption.

Co-defendants João Cláudio Genu, a former aide to the PP, was found guilty of passive corruption. The former treasurer of the PL, Jacinto Lamas was found guilty of passive corruption and money laundering. Enivaldo Quadrado, a partner in Bônus Banval, was found guilty of money laundering.

Pedro Henry (PP-MT) has a scorecard of 5 votes to 2 condemning him for passive corruption and money laundering. As five votes is not a majority, there remains a possibility of a tie in his case. The fate of two other defendants, Emerson Palmieri (treasurer of the PTB) and Breno Bischberg, a broker, also remain undecided.

Another defendant, Antonio Lamas, a former aide to the PL, has been absolved by six justices.

Today, Monday, October 1, the mensalão continues with the rest of the vote of justice Antonio Dias Toffoli, followed by justices Marco Aurélio Mello, Celso de Mello and the Chief Justice, Carlos Ayres Britto.

It should be borne in mind that justices can change their votes. Also, defense lawyers can demand a retrial if a defendant has four votes for acquittal.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Maioria no STF define que parlamentares receberam dinheiro do mensalão e seis são condenados por corrupção