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The Faculty of Law of the Nova University of Lisbon (Faculty of Law Nova) confirms the search for higher education establishments in the framework of the Tutti-Frutti process, which involves the constitutionalist Jorge Bacelar Gouveia, and guarantees to be available to collaborate with the authorities . According to the SIC, the professor became a defendant in the process investigating an alleged network of corruption and influence peddling.
“In the last two years, some situations have raised doubts about the conduct of Professor Jorge Bacelar Gouveia. On two occasions, he even presented himself with disciplinary participation for breach of the duties of information, zeal, loyalty and correction. The possibility of having committed acts suspected of constituting a crime was never considered, ”says the leadership of the Nova Law School in a statement.
It was with “surprise” and “consternation” that the establishment became aware of the accusations against Bacelar Gouveia, manifesting itself “fully available to collaborate with the authorities in the search for the truth” and having already made a new disciplinary participation to University. New to the teacher.
“He is a constitutionalist of great renown in Portuguese society and in the Portuguese-speaking world in general, also President of the Scientific Council of this Faculty and coordinator of non-nuclear study cycles, in addition to the multiple positions of responsibility that he has held and in some cases he still performs outside of this institution. They are positions that presuppose the greater suitability of those who occupy them “, he adds.
At stake will be the intermediation of Bacelar Gouveia in the process of granting doctorates to students from African countries with the official Portuguese language (PALOP’s) in exchange for counterparts. The former Social Democratic MP is suspected of helping several PhD students to obtain their diplomas, receiving, for example, diamonds.
Expresso tried to contact Bacelar Gouveia, but without success. In October, the professor guaranteed, however, in statements to the Olá magazine, that he had not yet been heard by the Public Ministry (MP) about these suspicions.
The investigation began in 2017 after the Judicial Police (PJ) had access to telephone conversations between Bacelar Gouveia and Sérgio Azevedo, also a former PSD deputy and his student at the Faculty of Law of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (FD-UNL) . The alleged network of crimes of corruption, influence peddling and economic participation in business involves members and former members of the PS and PSD.
Carlos Eduardo Reis, former national councilor of the PSD, and Luís Newton, president of the Parish Council of Estrela, are the main suspects in this network. It is about the signing of contracts between the Lisbon parish councils led by PSD with companies of party members, which amounted to one million euros, according to the Observer.
It was in October when it became known that Bacelar Gouveia was being investigated in the context of the ‘Operation Tutti-Frutti’, when he was a candidate for judge of the Supreme Court of Justice. However, the constitutionalist Gouveia resigned on December 3 as president of the Scientific Council of the FD-UNL, but continues to preside over the Supervisory Council of the Illustrious Bar Association.
