“We spent many years saying that the game was distorted,” said Paulo Azevedo at an event to present Sonae’s 2016 financial results.
“One way or another there were all in it together.”
The current deadline for prosecutors to bring charges against the 25 suspects in the case is Friday.
José Sócrates, who was prime minister of Portugal between 2005 and 2011, is suspected of corruption, tax fraud and money laundering.
Questioned by journalists about media reports on the investigation, namely in relation to how the ill-fated takeover bid panned out, Azevedo said that despite guarantees at the time that there was competition in the sector, “the game was distorted”. That, he said “made our life very difficult for many years, in a very unfair way”.
“But we’re not ones to stand and feel sorry for ourselves,” he continued. “We went on our way and are very pleased with how it went.”
Azevedo said that it was “with some pleasure” that he has seen aspects of the deal coming out into public view.
“Now justice will do its work,” he said.
As part of Operation Marquês, PT’s former chief executive, Zeinal Bava, and its former chairman, Henrique Granadeiro, were named as suspects. They are being investigated on suspicion of receiving bribes from the Espírito Santo group to act in accordance with the interests of that group while PT directors.
Sonae recently announced that its consolidated net profit rose 22.7 percent last year to 215 million euros, on turnover up seven percent to €5.376 billion, driven above all by the retail business.