Brazilian ex-mayors Nelsinho Trad and Galinhos officials face court rulings on alleged fund misuse

A court in the municipality of Galinhos, Brazil, acquitted a former mayor and the former municipal treasurer of alleged diversion of roughly R$791,000. Judge Brunna Melgaço Alves concluded that the prosecution failed to prove specific intent to misappropriate funds, noting that cash payments were an established administrative practice due to the town’s lack of a bank branch.

In a separate case, the 1st Vara de Direitos Difusos upheld former Campo Grande mayor and current senator Nelsinho Trad as a defendant in a lawsuit seeking recovery of R$226 million tied to road‑paving contracts. The judge cited phone interceptions and other evidence indicating possible fraud, but excluded Trad from one charge related to public‑administration principles. The case now moves to the evidence‑gathering phase.