Portuguese authorities took 83 days to tell Rui Pinto that his witness protection status was ending, and notified the Manchester City whistleblower just 10 days before it was due to expire, documents seen by the Guardian reveal.
The special security programmes commission (CPES), which oversees Portugal's witness protection programme, met on 8 and 9 July to discuss Pinto's case. It concluded that the threat level against him was low and that special protection measures were no longer warranted.
Delayed notification
Pinto, who has been a protected witness since 2020 after agreeing to grant Portuguese authorities access to millions of files gathered before his arrest, was not informed of the decision until 30 September – 83 days after it was made.
With 10 days' notice, Pinto was left with little time to address immediate issues. He needs to find somewhere safe to live and establish a way of supporting himself in a new location, while avoiding contact with family members.
No response from authorities
The Guardian contacted the CPES on two occasions seeking details of the criteria and evidence used to determine that Pinto's protection should be withdrawn. On Wednesday, the commission was also asked to explain the 83-day gap between its decision and the notification. None of the inquiries received a response.
On 30 September, the day Pinto was informed his protected-witness status was coming to an end, the Premier League's guilty verdict against City, which had been confirmed 24 hours earlier, was dominating headlines around the world. The authorities stood by the decision reached nearly three months earlier despite protestations from Pinto and his lawyers that he fears for his life.
Pressure prompts review
Pinto entered Portugal's protection programme after cooperating with the country's justice authorities. His revelations have subsequently been used by judicial, tax and sporting authorities across Europe, including the Premier League's investigation into City's alleged financial irregularities. Pinto's lawyers argue that the authorities should take into account his cooperation with the justice system and the continuing risks associated with his disclosures before ending his protection.
Mounting pressure appears to have prompted a rethink. Last Saturday Portugal's justice minister, Rita Alarcão Júdice, was questioned by journalists about the decision. She said the authorities would review Pinto's case and promised to respond by Saturday, the date on which his protection is due to end.
“I have received various requests and we are examining them very carefully,” Júdice said. “If there has been any irregularity, or if any procedure was not handled as it should have been, that will, of course, be taken into consideration.”
The Guardian understands that, as first reported by the Guardian, Pinto remains willing to cooperate with British authorities in the City case and in other investigations stemming from his findings. He handed over millions of documents to investigators in France, which can now be shared with other nations – including the UK – under international cooperation and bilateral ties.
Pinto's lawyer, Francisco Teixeira da Mota, told the Guardian an appeal against the decision would be filed this week. “The most shocking thing is the fact that he wasn't heard before the decision was made,” he said. “It's something that goes against the European court of human rights.”
In a press release last week, Pinto's defence team called the decision “an act of state terrorism”. Their outrage has intensified after they learned their client had been kept in the dark for almost three months. “It says a lot,” Da Mota added.
