Brazil's top court opens probe into ex-president Bolsonaro over COVID-19 graft

Belo Horizonte, Sep 19 (IANS) A justice of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court authorised an investigation into former President Jair Bolsonaro, his son and lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, and 22 aides over alleged graft and embezzlement of public funds in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Federal Police requested the investigation on the basis of the final report of the COVID-19 Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI).

"The parliamentary inquiry found evidence of crimes against the public administration, particularly in contracts, fraud in tenders, overpricing, misappropriation of public funds, the signing of contracts with shell companies to supply generic or fictitious services, among other crimes mentioned in the CPI report," said Justice Flavio Dino, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"I accept the request of the Federal Police and determine the conversion of this petition into a police investigation, setting an initial deadline of 60 days for the investigations," he added.

The CPI report, concluded in October 2021, found that Bolsonaro and his aides made decisions that hampered the fight against the pandemic and recommended that those responsible be held accountable.

On September 11, Brazil's top court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting a coup.

Meanwhile, Jair Bolsonaro was discharged from the hospital after being diagnosed with skin cancer and receiving treatment, said the hospital where he was treated in the capital, Brasilia.

Bolsonaro's symptoms have improved after intravenous infusion treatment, but he still needs clinical follow-up and regular review, according to the DF Star Hospital on Wednesday (local time).

The hospital conducted a pathological examination on the skin lesions removed from him. The medical report showed that two of the eight skin lesions correspond to "squamous cell carcinoma in situ."

He returned to his residence around noon and continued his house arrest.

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court on September 11 sentenced the ex-president to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting a coup in 2022.

--IANS

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