Punic Case: The National Court proposes to judge the ex-counselor Granados for another corruption plot | Spain

The PP of Madrid finds another front difficult in the courts. Judge Manuel García-Castellón, instructor of the Punic corruption plot, has proposed this Wednesday to sit on the bench Francisco Granados, former director of Esperanza Aguirre and former secretary general of the regional party, for the alleged rigging of public contracts in three municipalities of the Community in favor of a former partner and friend, businessman David Marjaliza. The magistrate of the National Court considers that the former driver of the regional PP, already sentenced to two years in prison for another part of the investigations, had a direct influence on the irregularities. In addition, the judge also prosecutes four other former mayors and two former councilors of the conservative formation.

This decision by García-Castellón dealt a new blow to Granados. In addition to the two-year prison sentence that he has for receiving a tip-off from a civil guard about the investigation, the former number two de Aguirre carries two other processes: for the irregular financing of the PP in Madrid; and for maneuvering in favor of another friend (the businessman José Luis Huerta), who was hired by several Madrid city councils and the regional government itself – the Prosecutor’s Office asks him for six years in prison for these events. In turn, the party is also touched by the instruction, turned into a true epicenter of corruption.

In the case concluded this Wednesday, the judge concluded that the plot rigged awards from the Madrid town halls of Valdemoro, Torrejón de Velasco and Serranillos del Valle to “ensure” that contracts were awarded to the companies decided by Marjaliza. Thanks to his contacts, the businessman “influenced those responsible for the bidding procedure”, points out the magistrate, who adds: “The starting point is, therefore, Marjaliza and his relationship with certain positions and authorities, in order to achieve obtaining administrative contracts, enjoying privileged treatment in terms of adjudications”. According to the summary, the businessman was even informed sufficiently in advance about the start of the tenders to be able to prepare the necessary documentation.

In addition to Granados, the judge is prosecuting Marjaliza, his wife, his secretary and his former lawyer. He also proposes to sit on the bench four former mayors of the PP of Madrid – three from Valdemoro (José Carlos Boza, José Miguel Moreno and Manuel Salguero) and one from Moraleja de Enmedio (Carlos Alberto Estrada) -; and two popular ex-councillors (José Javier Hernández Nieto and Juan Francisco Pérez Cabrera). The plot also involves municipal technicians.