Investigation into Portuguese Polícia Judiciária leadership

The Portuguese Polícia Judiciária (PJ) has faced significant scrutiny following investigations into its leadership. Initially, the Portuguese Parliament approved an urgent hearing for Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice after searches conducted by the Public Ministry raised questions about the oversight of the judicial police force.

The investigation focuses on the Director of the PJ, who is suspected of abuse of power and providing false statements in court. These allegations are linked to the Football Leaks case, specifically regarding whether environmental wiretapping was used during investigations into hacker Rui Pinto.

In response to these developments and an ongoing internal audit concerning public procurement and the management of seized assets, Minister Júdice has called for the effective implementation of control mechanisms within the PJ. While acknowledging the legal issues surrounding the institution's leadership, the Minister emphasized that oversight structures must actively function to correct failures and stated that the prestige of the Polícia Judiciária remains intact.