Contract that resulted in a loss of R$ 458 million during Marcelo's administration resurfaces.

During the two terms of Marcelo Miranda, the gubernatorial candidate for the "Experience Makes the Change" coalition, Contract 403/98, for infrastructure works, received several addendums that caused it to jump from R$ 411 million to R$ 1,4 billion; losses to public coffers amounted to at least R$ 458 million, according to the State Court of Auditors; on the 5th of this month, the Public Prosecutor's Office filed a Public Civil Action against Marcelo Miranda and 10 other people for the embezzlement of R$ 14 million from a bridge in the municipality of Lagoa da Confusão, when Miranda was governor of the State, between 2003 and 2004; the embezzlement of almost half a billion reais during Marcelo's government is gaining the spotlight in the midst of the campaign.

August 12, 2014, 13:52 PMUpdated May 27, 2019, 08:23 AM

During the two terms of Marcelo Miranda, the gubernatorial candidate for the "Experience Makes the Change" coalition, Contract 403/98, for infrastructure works, received several addendums that caused it to jump from R$ 411 million to R$ 1,4 billion; losses to public coffers amounted to at least R$ 458 million, according to the State Court of Auditors; on the 5th of this month, the Public Prosecutor's Office filed a Public Civil Action against Marcelo Miranda and 10 other people for the embezzlement of R$ 14 million from a bridge in the municipality of Lagoa da Confusão, when Miranda was governor of the State, between 2003 and 2004; the embezzlement of almost half a billion reais during Marcelo's government is gaining attention in the midst of the campaign (Photo: Aquiles Lins).

Tocantins 247 – The State Public Prosecutor's Office (MPE) filed a Public Civil Action on Tuesday, the 5th, against former governor Marcelo Miranda (PMDB), candidate for governor of the coalition "Experience Makes the Change", for an act of administrative misconduct.

The Public Prosecutor's Office accuses Marcelo Miranda, 10 former aides, including Brito Miranda, Marcelo's father and Secretary of Infrastructure, and the Emsa/Rívoli/Construsan Consortium of having overcharged and embezzled R$ 14.094,598,56 from the construction of a bridge in the municipality of Lagoa da Confusão, when Miranda was governor of the State, between the years 2003 and 2004.

According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the R$ 14 million is just the tip of the iceberg. The reinforced concrete bridge over the Água Verde River, 100 meters long by 10 meters wide, was not put out to tender and was executed within the scope of contract 403/98.

"It should be emphasized from the outset that Marcelo de Carvalho Miranda benefited in his 2006 election campaign, when he was a candidate for re-election as Governor, from enormous donations made by EMSA and some of the subcontractors of the Consortium for the direct execution of the works of Contract No. 403/98 (Egesa Engenharia S/A and Feci Engenharia LTDA.) to electoral committees," says the Public Prosecutor's Office in the lawsuit.

From R$411 million to R$1,4 billion

Contract 403/98 is considered by the State Public Prosecutor's Office and the State Court of Auditors to be the largest conduit for the misappropriation of public funds ever recorded in Tocantins. The contract stipulated the execution of earthmoving, asphalt paving, and bridge construction works in the State of Tocantins. When it was signed, the contract value was R$ 411.645.172,24.

However, starting in 2003, at the beginning of Marcelo Miranda's first term as governor, contract 403/98 underwent a series of amendments and addenda that more than tripled the contract value. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the documents included in the Civil Action prove measurements and payments totaling the substantial amount of R$ 1.416.914.288,61.

In 2010, the State Court of Auditors conducted an on-site inspection of the works described in contract 403/98, analyzed all the contract documentation, and found that the lack of oversight of the works, payments for services not performed, and financial addenda exceeding the limit allowed by the Bidding Law caused damage to public funds in the amount of R$ 458.159.919,69 (read more).

In addition to this civil action by the Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the bridge in Lagoa da Confusão, contract 403/98 is the subject of at least eight other civil actions concerning overpricing of infrastructure works and payments for services not rendered, during the administrations of former governor Marcelo Miranda.

In addition to Marcelo Miranda, Brito Miranda, and the Emsa/Rívoli/Construsan Consortium, the following engineers are also mentioned in the Public Prosecutor's Office's Civil Action: Sérgio Leão, Manoel José Pedreira, Ataíde de Oliveira, Neuli José de Assis, Cláudio Manoel Barreto Vieira, Mizael Cavalcante Filho, José Pereira da Silva Neto, Dinaci Severino Ferreira, and Rodrigo Silva Santos.

The Public Prosecutor's Office is asking the court for a preliminary injunction to freeze the assets of those involved up to the amount to be reimbursed to the state treasury, plus a civil fine of R$ 9.667.387,54.

Other side

Ao Tocantins 247, The campaign team for candidate Marcelo Miranda reported that Marcelo has not yet been notified of this new civil action by the Public Prosecutor's Office. "He will make a statement on the matter after meeting with his lawyers. Before being officially notified, it is impossible to comment on the matter," stated Miranda's team.

Click here and read the full text of the Public Prosecutor's action.