Sergeant António Paulo, the third defendant to provide evidence at the hearing, told the judges that he worked at an air force base in Monte Real, around 150 km north of Lisbon, in June 2013.

Paulo said the money was handed over by suppliers in envelopes and later shared equally among him, Gouveia and major Rogério Martinho, the other two defendants.

The country's judiciary police seized a total of €125,000 from Paulo, most of which was hidden at a holiday home in Vieira de Leiria, the property of a third person who was unaware of this. However, the defendant said that €25,000 belonged to sergeant Gouveia.

Around €21,000 was seized in a room in the base and another €17,000 from a car boot.

The case involved a long-standing scam to take kick-backs from food suppliers after allowing them to over-charge for their supplies to the air force messes.