Mácario Correia has been accused of illegal issuing a license to build a house in an ecologically sensitive area. The maximum sentence, if he is found guilty, is 8 years in prison.
The prosecution’s case against Tavira and Faro’s former mayor is that Correia gave the go-ahead to build a house in a National Ecological Reserve area, overruling the 'unfavorable' opinions of two Tavira council’s technicians.
Correia says that he was "misled by a former colleague" from Tavira council and now is being prosecuted for ‘malfeasance in public office.’
Correia could get between two and eight years in prison, the longer sentence only if his behaviour was deliberate and routine.
Of the former colleague, whom Correia declines to mention by name, he said, "this person told me something and later, something else," adding that he never forged anything and that he is being hung out to dry by people whom he used to trust.
The prosecution says that Correia, by granting planning permission, gave an 'economic uplift' to the site and the owner of the land and was fully aware that he was acting illegally.
Correia says that he only approved the location and the design but that, "The work was never done, hence there has been no material advantage."
Many in Tavira see Correia as the 'man who got things done' and suspect the allegations against him are politically motivated.
His time as Faro's mayor was blighted by the distraction of spending much time and energy fighting court actions to have him removed from office for things he had done when mayor of Tavira.
