Former Senator Fernando Collor.| Photo: Alan Santos/PR.

The Federal Supreme Court (STF) resumed this Wednesday (24) the trial of former Senator Fernando Collor. So far, the score is seven to two to convict Collor and two other defendants for the crimes of passive corruption and money laundering. This afternoon, ministers Dias Toffoli and Gilmar Mendes voted. Now, only the vote of the President of the Court, Minister Rosa Weber, is missing.

The session was suspended and will be resumed this Thursday (25) with Weber’s vote and the definition on the dosimetry of the penalty. On the 17th, minister Edson Fachin, the case’s rapporteur, voted to sentence Collor to 33 years and 10 months in prison for passive corruption, money laundering and criminal organization. He also fixed payment of R$ 20 million for collective moral damages.

They follow the understanding of the rapporteur completely: Alexandre de Moraes, André Mendonça, Luís Roberto Barroso, Luiz Fux and Cármen Lúcia. In terms of the accusation of criminal organization, Mendonça and Toffoli considered it more appropriate to frame Collor’s conduct as a crime of criminal association. Gilmar Mendes, on the other hand, voted for the acquittal of the defendants, as well as Minister Nunes Marques.

The Court had formed a majority to convict the former senator last week. During the trial, lawyer Marcelo Bessa asked for Collor’s acquittal. The defender stated that the PGR’s accusations are based on testimonies of the award-winning and no evidence was presented to incriminate the former senator, informed Agência Brasil. Bessa also denied that the former parliamentarian was responsible for appointing company directors. According to him, the whistleblowers accused Collor based on comments from third parties.