Brazilian Justice maintains arrest of politicians accused in the biggest criminal scheme in Santa Catarina state

The President of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), Justice Maria Thereza Moura, denied this Thursday (29) the request for the release of the mayor of Balneário Barra do Sul, state of Santa Catarina (SC), Antônio Rodrigues, preventively arrested in the context of Operation “Mensageiro,” (Messenger) which investigated fraud in service contracts in the garbage collection and disposal sector in Santa Catarina.

The Justice also rejected the relaxation of the prison to councilor Jeferson Luis Rodrigues, son of the mayor.

The two were preventively detained on December 6, shortly after the agents found an envelope with money of unknown origin at the city hall. According to investigations, they are part of a criminal organization that would have formed the largest scheme of illicit advantages in Santa Catarina.

The defense of the politicians presented a habeas corpus pointing out the lack of concrete grounds for preventive detention.

By denying the request, the president of the STJ informed that the Court of Justice of Santa Catarina (TJSC) decided to maintain the arrest of the investigated due to the involvement of the crimes of fraud to the bidding and passive corruption.

The merits of habeas corpus will still be analyzed by the Sixth Panel of the STJ and the rapporteur is with Justice Laurinha Vaz.

Operation “Mensageiro” was launched in early December by the Special Group to Combat Criminal Organizations (GAECO) and the Special Anti-Corruption Group (Geac) of the Public Ministry of Santa Catarina.

More than 100 arrest, search and seizure warrants were carried out in 20 municipalities in Santa Catarina. During the searches, more than R$1.3 million in cash were seized from the homes and workplaces of the investigated targets.

With information from Gazeta do Povo