(08.10.2013, 11:45am). There are some
video-link connection problems, a pause is
decided. Once Victor Tavares de Almeida
appears on the screen, the lawyers return to the
Court and the trial commences at 11:55am.
The Judge asks the witness if he is a Chief
Inspector.
TA says he is.
The Judge asks where he works and for how
long he has been there.
TA says he has worked in the DIC
(Department of Criminal Investigation) at
Portimão since January 2007.
The Judge presents the reason for this trial
and asks if the witness is aware of it.
TA says he knows exactly.
The Judge asks if the witness participated in
the investigation.
TA says he started to work on the case
two days after the disappearance of Madeleine
McCann until the end of September 2007.
The Judge – Hierarchically, were you
subordinated to Gonçalo Amaral?
TA said that Gonçalo Amaral was the
Coordinator and he was under him.
The Judge – Were you Number 2?
TA says it can be said so.
The Judge asks whether, independently of
professional ties, is there a personal
friendship between him and Gonçalo Amaral.
TA said that is correct.
The Judge wants to know if the relationship
with the McCanns was only professional.
TA says the unique relationship he had
was exactly that, professional.
The Judge asks the witness if he has read
GA's book.
TA says he only read the final part.
The Judge asks if he watched the documentary
produced by Valentim de Carvalho.
TA says he didn't.
Witness says he will answer with honesty.
Guerra & Paz's lawyer's is the first to
question the witness.
GP – You exercised your functions in the
Madeleine McCann investigation until September
2007...
TA takes advantage of a pause – "why?"
GP – No, I just wanted to confirm this.
TA confirms.
GP – Do you have any knowledge of a note
emitted by the media because of the shelving of
the process?
TA doesn't know to what note the
lawyer refers (see below*)
Then all the lawyers, one by one, state that
they don't have any questions for the witness
since he didn't read the book nor watched the
documentary.
Evidence ends.
* The note is an important feature of this
case, it considers and lists the 3 possible
methods whereby the case can be reopened
following the shelving Report by the Public
Ministry.
They are as follows:-
1) A hierarchically superior magistrate
can disagree with the shelving and order an
instruction inquiry.
2) Any of the arguidos can request an
instruction inquiry. They would have
participated in the diligences, asked for new
operations and finally had been part of a final
contradictory debate.
3) Anyone who has a new and relevant piece
of evidence can request the reopening of the
process.
The question of the note to the media,
asked of Eduardo Dâmaso by the Defence, isn't
mentioned in the Dâmaso statement (he didn't
know what it was). Since it is again asked of
another witness, it is reproduced below in both
Portuguese and English:
|
NOTA PARA A COMUNICAÇÃO SOCIAL
Por despacho com data de hoje
(21.07.2008) proferido pelos dois
magistrados do Ministério Público
competentes para o caso, foi
determinado o arquivamento do
inquérito relativo ao
desaparecimento da menor Madeleine
McCann, por não se terem obtido
provas da prática de qualquer crime
por parte dos arguidos.
|
NOTE TO THE MEDIA
By order dated today (21.07.2008) emitted by
the two prosecutors in charge of the case, we
determined the shelving of the investigation
concerning the disappearance of the minor
Madeleine McCann having failed to obtain any
evidence of the practice of any crime by the
arguidos.
