The Montijo City Hall was raided this Tuesday over suspicions of corruption and abuse of power. The investigation focuses on the replacement of a playground surface in the municipal park of Montijo, a project awarded in 2021 costing around 250 thousand euros. There are also indications of a third offense related to economic participation in business.
According to the Judicial Police, instead of conducting a single public tender, the municipality carried out two separate procedures through prior consultation, with contracts awarded to the same company. This suggests an attempt to bypass public procurement obligations. No defendants have been named yet, and it remains unclear whether the suspects are municipal technicians and leaders or if local officials are also involved.
At the time of the events, the Montijo City Hall was governed by socialist Nuno Canta, who served three terms before moving to Amarsul, the urban waste management company of the Setúbal Peninsula, where he remains since the summer of 2024.
Significant evidence was seized during the operation and will be analyzed. The operation involved 20 inspectors, eight experts from the Technological and IT Expertise Unit, and two Public Prosecutors. The company in question, Play Planet, was also searched. Although not officially named by the Judicial Police, Play Planet was awarded two different contracts on the same day in August 2021 for the playground's repaving and equipment replacement, totaling 248,600 euros. The company declined to comment, stating it was still assessing the situation.
The current mayor, socialist Maria Clara Silva, has pledged full cooperation with the authorities and stated that all necessary legal actions will be taken to investigate and address the allegations.
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