Valente in disbelief over Ho’s charges

Neto Valente

After the Court of Final Appeal announced its charges against the former Public Prosecutor General Ho Chio Meng, a veteran lawyer was in disbelief, stressing that his case is moving swiftly due to media pressure.

Macau Lawyers Association President Jorge Neto Valente told Radio Macau that there is injustice in the process that has allowed Ho’s case to move faster than others, describing the accusation as “shocking.”

On Thursday the former Prosecutor General was accused of over 1,500 counts of various crimes. “From what I saw, from what I know exists, I am shocked by the way the story was made, which is what is on the papers and makes any normal person frightened and worried,” Valente explained.

According to Valente, the accusation makes it seem as though Ho was dedicated exclusively to committing crimes. Valente pressed the irrational nature of the accusation, asking, “How is it possible to develop such a conspiracy theory and write 10,000 pages worth of a lawsuit accusing one person of more than 1,000 crimes?”

Ho, the former prosecutor general was arrested on February 27 on accusations of fraud, unlawful economic advantage, abuse of power and document forgery related to the acquisition of goods and services for the Public Prosecutor Office.

Valente believes that Ho’s case is moving more promptly than others due to media pressure, considering the manipulation of the system as a “great injustice.”

“And now, nine months after the Public Prosecutions Office and the pre-trial judge received the case, the lawyer of the former Prosecutor General, of the defendant, has 20 days to read the cases’ 10,000 pages and prepare a response document. This is the justice that we have,” he lamented.

Ho is expected to face the court on December 5.