Benfica’s legal chief charged in corruption probe

LISBON: The head of Benfica’s legal department and a computer operator at the Portuguese Justice Ministry have been charged in a corruption case involving the Lisbon club, a judicial source said.

The Benfica official, Paulo Goncalves, is suspected of “crimes of active and passive corruption, breach of court confidentiality, computer fraud and patronage,” the Portuguese police said.The computer technician, Jose Nogueira Silva, is suspected of accepting bribes, embezzlement or computer fraud and violation of court confidentiality.

Both men are being detained after their arrests on Tuesday. Benfica said, in a statement on their website, that they were confident Goncalves would be able to prove that he “acted lawfully” and said they were “totally available” to cooperate with the inquiry. “This is excessive,” said his lawyer Paulo Gomes on leaving the court.“In this country there are people who receive millions of euros in bribes and stay free. And this man goes to prison for receiving half a dozen tickets and a jersey.”