Wife of Spanish President to Face Trial on Alleged Corruption Charges
A Barcelona judge has determined that Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish executive chief Pedro Sánchez, should be tried for alleged abuse of influence and corruption, and has ordered her to surrender her passport.
Wife of Spanish President to Face Trial on Alleged Corruption Charges
A Barcelona judge determined on Saturday that Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish executive chief Pedro Sánchez, should be tried for alleged abuse of influence and corruption. The judicial ruling also requires her to surrender her passport and to appear before the courts every fourteen days.
The investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado adopted this measure after determining that Gómez could attempt to leave the territory. No date has yet been set for the start of the oral hearing.
The prosecution contends that Gómez used her position to intervene in the awarding of state contracts to certain technology sector companies. The judge also attributes to her the alleged diversion of public funds intended for the hiring of a consultant, along with the irregular use of computer programmes during her teaching period at a public university institution.
The defendant has rejected all culpability. For his part, Sánchez has characterised the proceedings as an attempt by his right-wing rivals to destabilise his progressive administration, which has governed since 2018.
Peinado clarified that a merchant who allegedly benefited from the administrative contracts and the adviser hired by Gómez will also have to appear in the dock.
The ruling has sparked a fierce battle in the political sphere. The conservative party is demanding the immediate calling of elections, whilst the socialists denounce an "escalation" in a "political and judicial witch-hunt" against the premier's wife.
The investigation, which has been ongoing for two years, was initiated by the Manos Limpias association, an organisation aligned with conservative positions.
_Source: AP News_
Source: Google News MT