Government attorneys expand corruption investigation in GDF

Government attorneys (Ministério Público – MP) intend to expand their investigation into a corruption ring in the government of the Federal District (GDF). According to Roberto Gurgel, the chief federal prosecutor (procurador-geral da Republica), besides the executive and legislative branches, contractors and their service contracts with the GDF are being examined.

A new twist to the investigation is that the whistleblower, Durval Barbosa, who exposed the wrongdoings, is negotiating a plea bargain that will now include information about suspect contracts during the administration of Joaquim Roriz (who was an appointed governor of the DF from 1988 to 1990, before the governor was elected; he was then elected in 1990 to a full term (1990 to 1994). Elected governor again in 1998, and reelected in 2002 (1998 to 2006). In short, during the last 22 years, Roriz has been the governor of the DF for 14 of those years).

Gurgel says it is possible the kickbacks and bribes that Durval revealed did not begin in the Arruda administration. “What we want is a complete investigation. We know this did not begin with Arruda, but at the moment all we have is evidence of crimes during the Arruda administration,” said the prosecutor.
Durval Barbosa faces at least seven criminal charges for irregular contracts that he signed when he was the director of the GDF Planning Corporation (Codeplan) with a charity, the Instituto Candango de Solidariedade, worth R$247 million. The contracts date from 2004, when Roriz was governor.