Man sentenced to 21 years for Braga homicide

Wednesday, 17 June 2026AI summary

📍 Braga ⚖️ Legal 🛂 Immigration #crime-report #public-safety #legal-reforms

Man sentenced to 21 years for Braga homicide — Photo: Diário de Notícias

The Braga Court has sentenced 28-year-old Matheus Marley Machado to 21 years and six months in prison for the fatal stabbing of Manuel de Oliveira Gonçalves. The court also ordered the defendant's expulsion from Portugal after he completes his sentence and mandated compensation of 227,000 euros to the victim's parents.

Update: Prosecution and family appeal sentence in Odair Moniz case

The Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministério Público) and the family of Odair Moniz have filed appeals against the three-and-a-half-year suspended prison sentence recently handed to police officer Bruno Pinto for homicide.

Context & Explainers

The Ministério Público (Public Prosecution Service) is Portugal's independent state prosecution body, responsible for leading criminal investigations, bringing charges, and representing the public interest in court.

The MP operates autonomously from the government and the police, though it directs criminal investigations carried out by the Polícia Judiciária, PSP, and GNR. It is led by the Procurador-Geral da República (Attorney General), who is appointed by the President on the government's proposal.

The MP gets involved in high-profile cases including corruption, financial crime, and incidents of potential institutional negligence. It also defends the legality of government actions and protects citizens' fundamental rights through the courts.