Benfica and Luís Filipe Vieira back at centre of ‘Saco Azul’ case | OneFootball

Portugal’s public prosecutors have lodged an appeal against the acquittal of Benfica SAD, Benfica Estádio and Luís Filipe Vieira in the Saco Azul case, keeping one of the club’s most high-profile legal battles alive.

The Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed the move, saying the case has been deemed exceptionally complex and that there is a 60-day window to appeal. The decision concerns a ruling made public in April.

The Lisbon Central Criminal Court had cleared all defendants, including Domingos Soares de Oliveira and Miguel Moreira, as well as the two Benfica companies. The case centred on suspicions of fictitious IT consultancy contracts that, according to the indictment, could have removed more than one point eight million euros from the club between 2015 and 2018.

The verdict highlighted doubts over the prosecution’s evidence, noting that only a forensic technical examination could identify who did what, who accessed the system and what issues were created, which was deemed impossible at this stage, 10 years on.

The judges also said there were arguments both for and against the prosecution’s thesis, including over whether José Bernardes may have worked at Questãoflexível on tasks for Benfica.

After the acquittals, president Rui Costa expressed satisfaction with the outcome and argued the case had harmed the club’s image among supporters and the wider public over the past decade.

Source: Glorioso 1904