Former number two to García Ortiz confirms to Pedraz meetings with PSOE intermediary at the Public Prosecutor's Office
The former deputy chief prosecutor of the Technical Secretariat has testified before Santiago Pedraz that he held two meetings at the headquarters of the Public Prosecutor's Office with Leire Díez and lawyer Jacobo Teijelo to discuss proceedings related to hydrocarbon fraud.
Former number two to García Ortiz confirms to Pedraz meetings with PSOE intermediary at the Public Prosecutor's Office
The former second-in-command of the ex-chief prosecutor of the State appeared this Wednesday before the investigative court of the National Court presided over by Santiago Pedraz. In his testimony, he admitted that he received the alleged PSOE intermediary and her lawyer at the Public Prosecutor's Office premises on two occasions during the months of April and May of last year.
According to the witness's account, the purpose of both meetings was cases opened for fraud in the hydrocarbon market. The former senior official of the prosecutors' office stated that he agreed to the first meeting because he already had prior professional relations with the criminal defence lawyer who accompanied the woman. He also clarified that, in his view, the meetings lacked legal relevance.
Despite this, he confirmed that he informed his superior at the time, the top representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office, that both meetings had taken place. In the first of these, which was attended as a witness by another prosecutor from the same department, they coincided with the head of the office as he was leaving. Afterwards, they entered his office to tell him what had been discussed, including complaints about the accumulation of proceedings relating to fuel and references to the anti-corruption prosecutor José Grinda.
The lawyer presented his companion as a collaborator at the first meeting. The witness stated that the lawyer merely lamented the number of simultaneous cases in this area, without addressing other significant matters. Nevertheless, he agreed to a second meeting with both of them.
The investigating judge is looking into the woman and the lawyer for alleged manoeuvres aimed at obstructing proceedings affecting the closest circle around the head of the executive branch, including those of his direct relative—already sentenced for breach of duty—and of his spouse, whose case has been sent to trial for embezzlement and abuse of office.
The lawyer already gave testimony as an investigated party before the same judge, but invoked professional privilege to avoid disclosing the content of the meetings. The judge is also examining invoices issued by the lawyer to the political party for an amount of 120,000 euros, which could conceal payments to the intermediary for her work. This line of inquiry led to the implication of the current manager of the party, who has been summoned for 9 September.
Source: ABC
Source: ABC