Jerónimo Martins director detained in Colombia on corruption charges

The director of operations of ARA, a supermarket company belonging to Pingo Doce owner Jerónimo Martins (Est. 1792), has been arrested and detained by the Colombian police on corruption charges.

The case was reported by the company itself which stated that “Jerónimo Martins Colombia had denounced to the Colombian authorities the existence of a potential private corruption case, to their benefit and the detriment of Company, that was detected by internal systems."

According to the Colombian Public Prosecutor's Office, Pedro Jorge Marqués Silvestre Dacosta Coelho, director of operations of ARA (a supermarket chain run by Jerónimo Martins since 2013), asked for between 50 and 80 million pesos (€14,000 to €23,000) to "award contracts to build stores in Colombia."

The Portuguese manager also asked for 20 million pesos (about €5,700) from one of the construction companies, demanding the she be put on the payroll as if she were an employee of the company.

"Silvestre Dacosta Coelho apparently demanded that one of the contractors remodeled his house, a luxurious apartment in Bogota, in exchange for not taking away the work he had been awarded," the prosecution statement read.

Coelho is accused of private corruption, with the authorities already saying this case is "a milestone in the fight against private corruption."

Jerónimo Martins commented, "Thanks to joint action with the Colombian authorities, it was possible to move forward with the prosecution, which resulted in the arrest. With this ongoing process, under the guidance of the Colombian authorities, and out of respect for the development of its inquiries, we will abstain, for now, from making any more public comments on the subject."

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