Minister André Mendonça, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), decided this Thursday (19), in Brasília, to authorize the Federal Police (PF) to resume investigations into fraud at Banco Master.
The decision was taken a week after Minister Dias Toffoli left command of the case and Mendonça took over as rapporteur for the investigation being processed at the Court.
According to Mendonça, the PF will be able to resume the examinations and other necessary steps, such as collecting statements.
“The adoption of the institution’s ordinary expert work flow [e] the carrying out of ordinary measures that may be necessary – such as, for example, the hearing of those under investigation and witnesses on the premises of the Federal Police – are authorized”, decided the minister.
Skills
Mendonça also authorized the PF to share information from the investigation internally to speed up the forensic work.
The Federal Police informed the minister that it is carrying out inspections on around 100 electronic devices and asked that the material be shared with other areas of the corporation to complete the work.
According to the PF, it would take just one expert around 20 weeks to verify the seized material.
When analyzing the request, Mendonça authorized the sharing of information within the PF, but said that confidentiality must be maintained.
“Only the police authorities and agents directly involved in the analysis and conduct of reciprocally shared procedures should be aware of the information accessed, which imposes on them the duty of professional secrecy, including in relation to hierarchical superiors and other public authorities”, he added.
Before Minister André Mendonça’s decision, the former rapporteur, Dias Toffoli, appointed the experts who should carry out the examinations and restricted access to the data.
New investigations
Finally, Mendonça decided that the PF will only be able to start new investigations into the Master after his authorization.
“The initiation of any new investigation or inquiry must first be expressly and substantiatedly requested from this rapporteur, and the respective deliberation on the matter must be awaited, case by case”, he concluded.
