Prosecution seeks to maintain charges against Ábalos's ex-partner in Koldo case
The Anti-Corruption Prosecution opposes Jésica Rodríguez's appeal and asks the National Court to confirm her status as an investigated person.
The Prosecution defends Jésica Rodríguez's charges before the National Court
The Anti-Corruption Prosecution maintains its position and asks the Appeals Chamber of the National Court to reject the appeal filed by Jésica Rodríguez, former partner of former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, according to El País. The public ministry requests confirmation of the decision by the investigating judge in the Koldo case, Ismael Moreno, who on 3 July granted Rodríguez the status of investigated person.
Prosecutor Carmen García Cerdá states in a written submission that there is "detailed and thorough reasoning" in the judge's resolution, and therefore, in her view, "it is not possible to appreciate a violation of the right to effective legal protection". The public ministry thus rebuts the argument of Rodríguez's defence, which contended that Judge Moreno's decision was adopted without sufficient justification and violated her fundamental rights.
Placement in public companies and silence before the court
Rodríguez was called to appear before the National Court on 20 July, attended by her legal team and exercised her right to remain silent. It was not her first court statement: she had testified twice before the Supreme Court, both during the investigation phase and at the trial in which Ábalos was sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment in the face masks case. It was following that judgment that the Prosecution asked Judge Moreno to change her status to investigated person.
During the oral hearing, Rodríguez admitted having received payment for two years at Ineco without performing any work for that company and stated that Ábalos was aware of the situation. Her account contradicted that of Joseba García, brother of former ministerial adviser Koldo García: whilst Rodríguez stated that her role was to serve as administrative assistant to Joseba and that he told her to stay at home, Joseba García denied being her boss and said he had spoken to her only as a "work colleague".
The Supreme Court already identified Rodríguez in the sentence against Ábalos
In sentencing the former minister, the Supreme Court warned of the "not ruled out and potential responsibility" of Rodríguez and identified her as a beneficiary of crimes of influence-peddling and embezzlement. The defence argues that those facts were already tried and therefore cannot be tried again. The Prosecution responds that the previous proceedings were confined exclusively to the participation of Ábalos and his former adviser Koldo García, without extending to Rodríguez's conduct.
In total, the former minister's ex-partner received 43,978 euros from two public companies—Ineco and Tragsatec, both under the Transport Ministry—between 2019 and 2021, without demonstrating any work activity at either of the two.
Charges also maintained against a former senior Adif official
The public ministry has extended its opposition to another parallel appeal. Ignacio Zaldívar, a former Adif executive also mentioned in the Supreme Court judgment, likewise requested the Appeals Chamber to annul his summons as an investigated person. The Prosecution rejects that request. The high court stated in its ruling that Zaldívar actively intervened to enable Rodríguez to transfer from Ineco to Tragsatec when her contract with the first company ended.
Source: El País