English Close the Freeport Case, EXPRESSO, 12.11.09

Please mods, move if you wish.

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/11/english-close-freeport-case.html

English Close the Freeport Case
13 November 2009 | Posted by Joana Morais Leave a Comment

Freeport's founder Sean Collidge, left, watching Edward and Sophie open the Freeport centre in 2004

London decided to close the English side of the investigations to the alleged corruption regarding the approval of the outlet of Alcochete. The Portuguese authorities are left alone in the case.

The Serious Fraud Office(SFO) and the Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit(OACU) of the London police decided to close the case of the autonomous investigation to Freeport case, which was ongoing in England since 2007, confirmed the Expresso.

The English authorities decision to close the inquiry into the alleged corruption of the "green light" given to open the Freeport shopping center in Alcochete [a protected natural area] was taken on Thursday and is due to the lack of sufficient evidences to constitute arguidos in England and to advance with a formal accusation.

The SFO has come to request information from Portugal in early 2009 through a rogatory letter, revealing that at the time they had a list of six British citizens suspected of being involved in the corruption case. One, was Charles Smith, who was made an arguido in Portugal, since he resides here, but in relation to the other five no sufficient evidences were gathered to support the continuation of the investigations. Sean Collidge, the controversial founder of Freeport, Gary Russell, Jonathan Rawnsley, Rick Dattani and William McKinney Junior cease to be under the watchful eye of the authorities in London.

It now remains to prosecutors with the case in Portugal, Pais de Faria and Vitor Magalhães, to wait for the SFO to contribute with the answers to the rogatory requests for financial information sent by Lisbon, which are still pending.

The expectations are, however, low. According to what the Expresso revealed in the last printed edition, 75 percent of the accounting files of Freeport in London were burned in a fire.

In addition, access to databases of the internal mails relative Portugal should not be possible, since the English authorities say that those are protected by professional secrecy.

in Expresso

Thanks, lilemor. I don't know enough about this case to comment.

Hi Estelle,
me, too.
I know nearly nothing about "Freeport".
But there were rumors that here could be some connections to the Madeleine case (politicians, corruption, porn)???
It seems to be very complicated.
Perhaps some know more about Madeleine and Freeport (eventual connections).
I just post all the information I did find related (imho) directly or indirectly to the McCann-case for all to see here.
But I am not an expert.

Im not surprised to hear this, Socrates helped Gordan, Gordon helps Socrates, simple really, it was just a matter of time, time Gordon dosen't have now, so I suppose this had to happen between now and next May.

Fete accompli!!!

The expectations are, however, low. According to what the Expresso revealed in the last printed edition, 75 percent of the accounting files of Freeport in London were burned in a fire.

seems a lot of evidence just vanishes, or is destroyed, the dna from the apartment was contaminated in the U.K. wasn't it?

This is the link to the Freeport Case (from Joana) :
http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/01/freeport-case-english-wanted-to.html