The secretary-general's dismissal

The secretary-general was sacked and says he was pressured to break the law. The ministry replies with 'particularly serious episodes', such as an unpaid severance. Two versions, one piece of evidence and a ministry full of people who saw nothing.

Suspects

• Acácio, the acting secretary-general: He's been in the job three days and has already signed more papers than his predecessor did in a year.
• Benvinda, the head of human resources: She handles severance pay. The sacked secretary-general's has been 'under review' for weeks.
• Celso, the accountant: Money for urgent works appeared overnight. Money for severance, not so much.
• Débora, the ministry lawyer: She reads every order before it's signed. She read the direct award ones twice.
• Ernesto, the minister's driver: He drives the minister everywhere and hears every call. He swears he can't remember any of them.
• Fernanda, the minister's chief of staff: She booked the dismissal meeting. The severance one never got booked.
• Gualter, the secretary-general's lawyer: He has a folder of 'particularly serious episodes'. He hasn't said whose yet.
• Honorata, the ministry switchboard operator: She spent the morning saying the minister wasn't in. The minister was in.