Lisbon, Jan. 15, 2026 (Lusa) - The Lisbon Court of Appeal upheld the first instance decision not to dismiss or suspend criminal proceedings against former banker Ricardo Salgado in the Banco Espírito Santo Angola (BESA) case, which has been ongoing since May.
In a ruling dated 13 January, to which Lusa had access on Thursday, the Lisbon Court of Appeal concluded that, as the Lisbon Central Criminal Court had argued on 1 April 2025, the right of defence of Ricardo Salgado, 81, is not being compromised in the BESA case because he is being tried while suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
"While it is desirable for the defendant to be able to personally guide his defence, it is generally recognised that an effective defence is one that is guided, organised and conducted by legal professionals (hence the need for the assistance of a defence lawyer)," the judges emphasise.
The magistrates also consider that conducting a new neurological examination of the former president of BES at this time would be untimely, since, as the criminal proceedings continue, "the appellant's clinical situation will have to be assessed at the time of sentencing, if it occurs, according to the principle of the necessity of the sentence at the enforcement stage".
The information was initially reported by Sic Notícias.
Ricardo Salgado and the former president of BESA, Álvaro Sobrinho, are two of the five defendants in this case, which focuses mainly on the alleged embezzlement of BES financing between 2007 and 2012, involving International Money Market credit lines and bank overdrafts.
In general, the defendants are charged with breach of trust, money laundering, and fraud, and they deny committing the crimes.
In addition to BESA, Ricardo Salgado is being tried in two other cases involving the Espírito Santo Group, as well as in the Operation Marquês case. He has also been sentenced to prison in two other cases related to the alleged corruption of former minister Manuel Pinho and the alleged embezzlement of €10.7 million from the Espírito Santo Group.
The courts have repeatedly rejected the defence's claim that the criminal proceedings against the former banker should be dismissed or suspended, although they have left open the possibility that the sentences will not be served in prison.
IB/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
