Rui Pinto, the former Manchester City whistle‑blower, will stay in Portugal’s witness‑protection programme for the time being after the government reversed a decision to terminate his safety status. The special security programmes commission (CPES) admitted that Pinto had not been given a chance to present his case before the original decision was made, and the commission has been instructed to review the matter again.
The Ministry of Justice issued a statement signed by Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice confirming that the CPES had failed to inform Pinto of the reasons for ending his protection and had not allowed him to exercise his right to challenge the decision. The protection was scheduled to lapse on Saturday, but the commission will now provide Pinto with the risk‑assessment reports that had indicated a low threat to his safety. Pinto has ten working days to review the documentation and respond to the commission’s conclusions.
Pinto’s status as a protected witness began in April 2020 after Portugal’s judicial police placed him under cover following his agreement to hand over millions of files that revealed alleged corruption involving Manchester City, companies linked to Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, and other entities. The documents have fed investigations by European judicial, tax and sporting authorities, including the Premier League’s inquiry into City. Pinto has also supplied French investigators with millions of documents that can now be shared with other countries, including the United Kingdom.
The decision to end Pinto’s protection came on 30 September, the same day an independent commission delivered a guilty verdict against Manchester City, a verdict that had been confirmed 24 hours earlier and dominated global headlines. Pinto had launched a fundraising campaign to secure his financial future after losing his protection, citing credible death threats and an assault in Lisbon in April. In a social‑media statement, he praised the justice minister’s reversal as a restoration of legality but expressed a loss of confidence in the CPES members, arguing that their conduct undermined the impartiality, legality and trust essential to a witness‑protection programme.
Pinto remains willing to cooperate with British authorities investigating Manchester City and other matters arising from his disclosures. His lawyers argue that the authorities must weigh his cooperation with the justice system and the risks associated with his revelations before withdrawing his protection. The recent scrutiny appears to have prompted the authorities to reconsider their position, and the commission is expected to reassess the decision in an upcoming meeting on 9 July.