A JUDGE IN Rio de Janeiro has agreed, on health grounds, that Pat Hickey may be given back his passport.
His passport will be returned on the condition that he pay a bond to the court of 1.5 million BRL (€410,000). Hickey had his passport retained by Brazilian officials since his arrest during the Olympic Games in Rio in September.
Justice Juliana Leal de Melo of the Special Court for Supporter and Large Events in Rio de Janeiro, which had jurisdiction during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, ruled tonight that Hickey can be allowed to leave Brazil “to treat a health problem”, seeing as this problem had been identified in the initial stages.
Hickey, the former head of the Olympic Council of Ireland, was brought to hospital in Rio before being brought to Bangu maximum security prison.
In her deliberation, the judge said that, on the grounds that Hickey “has no links with Brazil”, she would allow him to leave to receive medical attention.
She noted that there was a risk that Hickey may not return to Brazil, but that this needed to be balanced with health concerns.
The judge said that Hickey should be allowed to attend to his health, provided that this does not interfere with the ongoing case, that he pays the bond and that he agrees to fully cooperate with the legal process in Brazil.
He must also present for any calls that are made of him as the process continues.
The judge further agreed that the case be split, as per a request from the public defender’s office.
Going forward, Marcus Evans, Michael Glynn, Ken Murray, Maarten Van Os, David Gilmore, and Martin Studd will answer to one legal process in Brazil.
Pat Hickey, Kevin Mallon, Barbara Carnieri and Eamonn Collins will answer to another.
She also rejected requests made that the legal process be shelved, due to a “lack of just cause” as was claimed by Hickey’s and Mallon’s legal teams.
In her judgement, Justice Leal de Melo also gave permission for Brazilian authorities to have full access to phone and other electronic devices which were apprehended during the police investigation.
She gave 30 days for Brazilian police to come back with their findings.
Allan Caetano Ramos of Hickey’s Rio based legal firm said his client had been notified in the last hour.
He added that it may take some days before the necessary paperwork is processed and the passport released.
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