Rui Pinto has had his witness protection restored by the Portuguese authorities in a rapid U-turn. Pinto's Football Leaks website was key in Manchester City having 115 Premier League charges levelled against them. City have since been found guilty of 114 of those, with a number of potential punishments on the table should their appeal be dismissed.
Protection restored after revocation
Pinto in the meantime has also been left uncomfortable, having seen his witness protection revoked by the Portuguese authorities. He had previously received protection since 2020. But the 37-year-old whistleblower has now had that restored for the time being, with a statement signed from the Ministry of Justice stating that Pinto had not been adequately informed of the grounds for terminating the programme or given the opportunity to exercise his right to challenge the decision.
He now has 10 working days to review the original withdrawal. Taking to social media in the aftermath, he said: “I express my appreciation for the action taken by Portugal's Minister of Justice, Rita Alarcão Júdice, who restored legality by overturning a decision made by the members of the Commission responsible for Portugal's Witness Protection Programme, who acted in clear violation of the law and in a manifest abuse of power.
Whistleblower's concerns
“This is a particularly serious situation, all the more so because, given their roles, the members of this Commission have an increased responsibility to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the rights, liberties and guarantees of citizens who, due to the specific nature of the Programme, find themselves in a particularly vulnerable and uncertain situation.
“Despite this restoration of legality, the way in which the members of the Commission have acted prevents me from placing any trust in them or feeling confident in their work. Such conduct is clearly contrary to the principles that should guide a witness protection programme, whose credibility and effectiveness depend, above all, on respect for the law, impartiality and the trust of those who rely on it.
“I would like to conclude by expressing my special gratitude to everyone who has shown their support and contributed to the fundraising campaign. To all of you, my sincere thanks for continuing to stand by me in this cause which, despite today's decision, is still far from being resolved.”
Fundraising and relocation
Pinto had previously appealed to the general public by attempting to raise €2.5m (£2.1m). He said: “Given these circumstances, I have no alternative but to relocate, within the next few days, to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period of time, due to the multiple death threats I have received and the serious risk of an assassination attempt against me.”
