Portuguese authorities kept Rui Pinto in the dark for almost three months about their decision to end his status as a protected witness and notified the Manchester City whistleblower 10 days before it was due to expire, it can be revealed.
According to documents seen by the Guardian, the special security programmes commission (CPES), which oversees Portugal’s witness protection programme, met on 8 and 9 July to discuss Pinto’s case. It concluded that the threat level against him was low and that the special protection measures were no longer warranted.
