Federal Police uphold decision to hear Lula's wife and son

Federal Police Commissioner Márcio Anselmo, one of the investigators in Operation Car Wash, decided to uphold the decision to call former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's son and wife regarding the Santa Barbara ranch, in Atibaia, São Paulo.

The move, made Friday (Aug.12), comes after Fábio Luis Lula da Silva's and ex-First Lady Marisa Letícia's counsel declared to the police that they will remain silent during testimony, adding that they are neither the owners of the property nor were they aware of the alleged use of illicit funds in the purchase of the ranch. The lawyers also referred to the Criminal Code to sustain that family members should not be made to give testimony in a case against the charged.

Defense strategy

Márcio Anselmo deplored the tactics employed by the defense.

Also on Friday, Lula's lawyers restated that entrepreneurs Fernando Bittar and Jonas Suassuna are the proprietors of the ranch, which can be demonstrated by the property's registration number at the notary's office. The defense noted that Bittar has already handed over to investigators the documents proving the funds to buy the ranch derive from his family.

“There is, therefore, no judicial grounds for having Lula's relatives involved in the investigation into the ownership of this property, which belongs to Fernando Bittar and Jonas Suassuna, as overwhelming documentary evidence presented to investigators shows,” the note drafted by the defense reads.

Renovation

According to investigators, the renovation works on the property started after it was purchased by Bittar and Suassuna, when “the first architectural plans were drafted to allow for the needs of the former president's family.” The works were carried out under the guidance of an architect from construction company OAS, “with the knowledge of [its] president, Léo Pinheiro.”

In the report, police experts mention the renovation, including that of a kitchen priced at $80 thousand. Total estimates add up to $538 thousand—both the purchase and the improvement included.

An excerpt of the report says, “There is substantial evidence that the gourmet kitchen was renovated and installed between March and June 2014 approximately, under the scrutiny of an OAS architect and the command of Léo Pinheiro [former OAS president], and, according to communications by the architect from the construction company, under the instruction of former President Lula and his wife.”

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira