In a major legal blow to a former municipal leader, Neider Moreira, the ex-mayor of Itaúna in Minas Gerais, has been sentenced to six years and one month in a closed prison regime. The conviction stems from his involvement in a 'rachadinha' scheme, a type of corruption where public officials demand kickbacks from employees' salaries. The decision was announced by the Minas Gerais State Public Prosecutor's Office (MPMG).
The scheme, which operated between April 2018 and March 2021, was designed to illicitly fund Moreira's 2020 re-election campaign. According to prosecutors, commissioned public servants were pressured into handing over a portion of their monthly earnings. The demands were made in periodic meetings where specific amounts, proportional to each employee's position, were set. Payments were required in cash, placed in envelopes, and refusal was met with threats of dismissal.
The court's ruling extends beyond the former mayor. An ex-secretary of Urban Regulation and a former chief of staff were also convicted, receiving sentences ranging from two to four years. All three were found guilty of 'concussão,' the crime of a public agent demanding undue advantages by virtue of their office. In addition to prison time, their political rights have been suspended for the duration of their sentences, and they may lose any remaining public positions.
The prosecution's case was built on a combination of evidence. This included recordings from meetings, messages exchanged between the accused and the employees, and testimony from victims and witnesses. One witness recounted that after refusing to pay the kickback, they faced internal persecution and were eventually dismissed from their position months later.
However, the defense team for Neider Moreira has vowed to fight the verdict. They expressed 'extreme dismay' at the decision and announced their intention to appeal. Their central argument is that the conviction rests on an illicitly obtained piece of evidence: an ambient recording made without judicial authorization by an unidentified person. The defense claims this recording was delivered anonymously to a political opponent just before a municipal election.
According to the defense's official statement, there is no testimony in the case files that corroborates Moreira's participation in any criminal activity. They argue that the prosecution's 'zeal for justice at any cost' cannot override the constitutional guarantee against the use of illicit evidence in legal proceedings. The appeal will seek to have the process declared null and void based on this premise.
The case highlights the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding corruption allegations in Brazilian municipalities. While the prosecution presented a narrative of systematic extortion for campaign financing, the defense frames the conviction as a violation of due process, setting the stage for a protracted appellate fight. Based on reporting from g1.