The Ministry of Justice expects to have by the end of the year the conclusions of the audit on the Judicial Police, conducted by the General Inspection of Justice Services, the cabinet of Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice revealed to the LusA news agency. The executive stated that the audits are proceeding with technical autonomy and independence, and that the priority is to conclude them with speed, without compromising the rigor and quality of the analysis.
The audits were announced by the Ministry of Justice on August 6, following the various controversies involving the former national director of the PJ and current Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves. One of the audits was requested by the current director of the PJ, Carlos Cabreiro, and is taking place in parallel with the IGSJ audit.
Luís Neves and the Government have been under pressure for almost two months, since suspicions of irregularities in private works on the minister's property in Odemira were reported, namely the construction of a swimming pool by a friend contractor who won 17 contracts for works at the PJ. This was followed by news about the delivery to the same contractor, João Carvalho, owner of Construbarcelos, of a trailer seized in Operation Pacoba against drug trafficking, with drums of chemicals inside.
The Attorney General, Amadeu Guerra, stated that there are three inquiries at the Public Ministry involving Luís Neves, to which are added a case at the Court of Auditors and an administrative investigation. Among the inquiries are the trailer case, the use of a court-seized car in the process that sentenced 'Xuxas' to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking, and the works in Odemira, which are also under investigation by the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Beja. The Public Ministry has also opened an inquiry by the DIAP of Évora regarding the trailer case.
