Minister André Mendonça, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), ordered this Thursday (10) the suspension of two investigations against , governor of Rio de Janeiro. The decision responds to a request from Castro’s defense.
The two closed investigations are being processed at the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) and investigate an alleged corruption scheme involving deviations in social assistance contracts, in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2020, the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) began analyzing the case. Last year, the STJ accepted the PGR’s request and authorized the Federal Police to open an investigation against the head of the state executive.
However, in July of this year, the governor’s lawyers appealed to the STF, alleging that the delegate responsible for the investigation at the PF violated a Federal Police rule, as Castro was not interrogated by the corporation and did not have the right to present his version in the cars.
In this Thursday’s decision, André Mendonça stated that there was a violation of the rules of jurisdiction in investigations. “In view of the nullities found and the umbilical correlation between the two ongoing investigations, which are being processed jointly and under the direct leadership of the same police authority (…) it is determined that the investigations will be suspended”, decided the minister.
In a statement, Castro’s defense informed that it “welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision with relief.” “In addition to recognizing the various illegalities and abuses in the spurious investigations carried out, it ordered the closure of the Inquiries being processed before the Superior Court of Justice”, stated in the statement.
The governor’s team also said that Mendonça’s decision “respected fundamental rights and guarantees, putting an end to null procedures”.
