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Former minister of justice Lucia Lobato serving time at Gleno prison

Source
Dili Weekly - January 25, 2013

Former Justice Minister Lucia Lobato has begun serving her five year prison sentence inside Gleno Prison.

Dili District Police officers arrested former Minister of Justice Lucia Lobato after the Court of Appeal sentenced her to five years in prison to be served at the women's jail in Gleno, Ermera.

The arrest took place on Tuesday 22 January 2012 at 4pm at her home in Bidau, Dili. Lobato was accused of corruption and abuse of power in regards to a Ministry of Justice tender awarded to her husband's company.

Her lawyer Jose Pedro Camoes was quoted in Timor Post saying his team would prepare a submission to the Court of Appeal questioning the composition of the panel of judges, the same panel that in the first instance found her guilty, which in itself represents unconstitutionality.

The submission was submitted the day after the former ministers' incarceration and lawyer Camoes hopes the submission will lead to a review of the decision by the end of February 2013.

Executive Director of NGO Judicial System Monitoring Program Luis Oliveira Sampaio said he accepts the decision of the court even though he also has concerns with the composition of the panel of judges.

"The panel that judged and made the decision about her extraordinary appeal were the same panel of judges that judged her in the first instance. This is something that concerned us as well. If the panel was the same how could there have been a different outcome; so because the panel remained the same, the initial decision also remained the same," said the JSMP Director.

He said he has knowledge Lobato's legal team is preparing a submission to the Court of Appeal because it does not accept the decision of the court. Sampaio also commended the accused compliance with the courts decision.

"She complied and voluntarily gave herself up to the police. This must be acknowledged and a decision of the courts must be above any other political decision," he said. "We have been following Mrs. Lucia's appeal process but in the end she accepted to follow the court's decision."

Member of Parliament Arao Noe said this was a positive case and he hoped all citizens were witnessing.

"She did not try to prevent it. She acknowledged her wrongdoing, she presented herself to the police and she was taken to jail. This is a very positive step forward. I hope everyone will follow in her steps," said MP Noe.

TDW attempted to get a comment from the Dili District Police Commander, Superintendent Pedro Belo via telephone on the events surrounding the arrest of the former Minister of Justice but he declined to comment.

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