Lobato did not comment directly on the seven-year prison sentence given to Former Minister of Finance, Emilia Pires by the Dili District Court in her address to the media,but she called for an immediate enquiry into the accusation of lack of evidence raised by the former Prime Minister in the high profile corruption case.

On January 25, Gusmão sent a letter to Pires outlining his support for a retrial of her case.

Pires has denied any legal wrongdoing in a corruption and abuse of power scandal that has left her living in exile in Portugal, refusing to return to Timor-Leste to confront charges that date back to 2008 when she was Finance Minister under Gusmoa’s first-term government.

Pires is accused of awarding her husband Warren Macleod’s Melbourne-based business Mac’s Metalcraft the $2.04 million contract to supply beds to Guido Valadares National Hospital in Dili. On 20 December Pires was sentenced to seven-years in prison for her act.

Lobato said she agreed with Gusmão’scomments, saying the nation’s judicial system must be accountable, and compared the scrutiny for corruption of Timor-Leste’s government as what should take place of the country’s judges.

“The court must work by impartially and dignity in order for the population to trust the court‘s work and maintain our justice in this country,’’ she said, but then added: “I don’t say that this open letter is all good but what it outlines is worrying for us,’’ she said.

José Luis Oliveira, the Executive Director of Asian Justice and Rights Orgnisation said he supported Gusmão’s calls for an enquiry into the legal process that led to the sentence, but warned accusations of inept judicial system was a “serious crime” requiring immediate action from the Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC).

Oliveira added concern about progress of country’s judicial system, labeling the national parliament as “impotent” for its inability to produce a Law of Structure for the country’s justice sector. Oliveira said

“They (National Parliament) don’t approve one law during five years, they just approve international judges to come again for running of the Judicial system in Timor-Leste,” he said.

Pires has consistently denied she was involved in the deal, saying she signed off on the contract on behalf of Gusmao.