Lisbon, March 25, 2025 (Lusa) - Portuguese-Angolan businessman Helder Bataglia is to be tried in absentia, at his own request, in the Banco Espírito Santo Angola (BESA) criminal case, for which the trial in Lisbon has been rescheduled from 29 April to 5 May.

"In view of the request, it is authorised.. that the hearing take place in the absence of the requesting defendant, who will for all possible purposes be represented by his defender," the Lisbon Central Criminal Court said in a recent order to which Lusa had access on Tuesday.

According to the Correio da Manhã newspaper, which first carried the news, the authorisation came after Bataglia argued that it was practically impossible for him to attend the trial because he lives in Angola.

In the order, the court points out that the authorisation does not exempt the businessman from attending the trial whenever his presence is considered indispensable by the judges.

In addition to Bataglia, who is charged by the Public Prosecution Service on one count of abuse of trust, the defendants in the case are Álvaro Sobrinho, the former CEO of BESA, Ricardo Salgado, the former CEO of Banco Espírito Santo, BESA's parent company, his on former right-hand man Amílcar Morais Pires, and another former director of BES, Rui Silveira.

At issue is the diversion, between 2007 and 2012, of funds from a BES loan to BESA in Interbank Money Market (IMM) credit lines and in bank overdrafts, with overall advantages for some defendants of €265,178,856.09.

According to a judicial source, the trial, initially scheduled for 29 April, will begin on 5 May.

From that date until 15 July, 17 further sessions are already scheduled.

The trial is then to be interrupted during the judicial holidays and resume on 15 September.

IB/ARO // ARO.

Lusa