Cipriano's lawyer confirms he was paid by McCanns to "investigate" Gonçalo Amaral
The lawyer says that he defends Joana’s mother for free and that the McCanns paid him to “investigate” Gonçalo Amaral
by Luís Maneta
“Was Dr Gonçalo Amaral in charge”; “Was Dr Gonçalo Amaral present?”; “Did Dr Gonçalo Amaral hit you?”. Gonçalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral – this seems to be the obsession of Leonor Cipriano’s defense lawyer during the trial that opposes Joana’s mother to five Judiciária inspectors.
Three policemen stand accused of torture: Pereira Cristóvão, Leonel Marques and Paulo Marques Bom. But Leonor’s lawyer, Marcos Aragão Correia, has pointed his guns at Gonçalo Amaral, who in this process stands accused of false testimony and omission of denunciation.
“This doesn’t look like a trial in the Joana case but rather one in the Maddie case”, says a source that is connected to the defense of the former coordinator of the PJ in Portimão, who headed the investigations into the disappearance of both children and became a sort of “public enemy #1” for the McCann couple.
“A possible condemnation of Gonçalo Amaral in this process may make it easier for the English to prosecute the Portuguese state”, the source says.
They have paid the expenses
When confronted by 24Horas with the suspicions about his connection to the Maddie case, Marcos Aragão confirmed that he was already paid by persons that are connected to the McCanns. “They haven’t paid me honoraries but rather expenses due to transportation, lodging and food, in order to interview João Cipriano in prison”, the lawyer explained, adding that the purpose of the conversation was to “analyze” the procedures of Amaral as a PJ investigator.
Following the investigation – which originated a report from the Association Against Exclusion through Development (ACED) – Aragão Correia says that he accepted to represent Leonor Cipriano without charging one cent.
“I accepted this case for humanitarian reasons only. I am not receiving any honoraries”, the lawyer asserted, referring that the “attacks” against Gonçalo Amaral are linked to Leonor Cipriano’s strategy in this case: “It’s not an obsession. I can’t insist on the other arguidos because she has not identified them”.
Yesterday’s session at the Court in Faro was marked by a new contradiction from the plaintiff. On Monday, Leonor Cipriano had guaranteed that Gonçalo Amaral did not watch the questioning during which she allegedly suffered abuse in order to make her confess to her daughter’s death. Yesterday, Joana’s mother corrected her version: “Gonçalo Amaral beat me”. When questioned by the judge, she said she had recovered her memory after watching a report on television.
Source: 24Horas, 30 October 2008
