Barbosa finishes his part in the mensalão scandal on Monday.
The President of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Minister Joaquim Barbosa, announced that he will conclude his part in drafting the judgment (final decision) of Criminal Action 470 next Monday. Appeals by lawyers can only be filed after the judgment is published. Several lawyers have stated that they are simply waiting for the judgment to file appeals.
Deborah Zampier
Reporter from Agência Brasil
Brasilia - The president of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Minister Joaquim Barbosa, will conclude next Monday (4) the drafting of the judgment (final decision) of Criminal Action 470, the mensalão trial. The information was confirmed today (1st) by Barbosa's press office. The judgment is a document that contains the main facts and decisions of the plenary session on a case judged.
The document is drafted by the minister who cast the deciding vote – in the Mensalão case, most decisions followed Barbosa's understanding. The publication of the judgment also depends on the other ministers who participated in the trial, who must submit their revised votes. The STF's press office was unable to say which ministers have already completed this work.
The Mensalão trial ended on December 17th of last year, after more than four months of debate. The following day, a 60-day period began for the drafting of the judgment. The count did not run during the end-of-year recess, which began on December 20th.
Only after the publication of the judgment can appeals be filed by lawyers or the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, in addition to the possible recovery of the money embezzled in the scheme. Several lawyers said they are only waiting for the judgment to file appeals. The Attorney General of the Republic, Roberto Gurgel, has already stated that he will comply with the Supreme Court's decision.
Edited by: Carolina Pimentel