COURT DATES FOR ACCUSED ORIHUELA PP MEMBERS

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The nine former councillors from the previous Partido Popular run council of Orihuela facing criminal charges for corruption will appear before the courts on the 28th, 29th and 30th of July.

The Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community issued notice for court number 3 of Orihuela to investigate the alleged crime of trespass, investigating the payment of numerous bills dating back to 2008.

Therefore, on the 28th of July, the current head of the party, Pepa Ferrando, will appear at 09:30. Ferrando is also facing other unrelated charges in connection with payments to a company named Pepa Ferrando S.L., for which she denies any involvement, as she states that she was not involved with the company thought to have been set up with her sister at the time the firm was awarded contracts by the town hall.

On the same day at 11:00, Antonio Lidón will appear, followed by Manuel Abadía at 12:.30.

On the 29th of July, it will be the turn of Antonio Rodríguez Murcia to answer questions at 09:30, followed by Ginés Sánchez at 11:00, and finally, former councillor for the coast José Antonio Aniorte at 12:30.

Then, on the 30th of July, the last three in this case will appear, Antonio José Ortiz at 9:30, José Manuel Cutillas at 11:00 and Antonio Rodríguez Barberá at 12:30.

This investigation stems from a complaint lodged by the socialist Antonio Moreno in 2009, which highlighted the existence of “several irregularities” committed in 2008 in the city of Orihuela and thus claimed that numerous invoices had been paid by the government, approved between the 2nd of June and the 13th of October, despite reports of irregularities.

After learning of the complaint, Pepa Ferrando said that the members of the PP are “victims” in this case, and how it was “curious” that the complaint has come “five years later, less than a year before the municipal elections”.

Those involved deny any wrong doing and, according to Ferrando, will attend court, “with the same indignation of the same tranquillity” in order to prove their innocence.

Meanwhile, the former mayor of Orihuela, Mónica Lorente, who led the government during the era in question, appeared in court on Thursday, facing criminal charges in association with the so called “caso Brugal”, relating to the award of the waste collection contract in the municipality.

Facing questions from the judge, Lorente described the financial management of the government under her lead as “flawless”, whilst also claiming that “it is undisputed” that she had “nothing to do with it” in reference to the alleged financial irregularities under investigation.

Charged for the alleged crimes of corruption, insider trading, disclosure of secrets, prohibited activities to authorities and fraud, Lorente explained after the hearing that, “The prosecutor asked me about everything from the time of 2005 to almost the day I stopped being mayor”, stating that she answered all questions “telling the whole truth”, with documents where necessary, whilst feeling “calm and at peace”.

A group of protestors had gathered outside the courts, armed with placards, they chanted cries of “corrupt”, “thief” and general complaints against the PP as Lorente moved by peacefully and smiling.

The same protestors also berated the previous mayor of Orihuela, José Manuel Medina, also appearing in a separate hearing to face corruption charges. Medina did not pass quite so calmly though, with witnesses saying he took offence to one of the protestors and approached him, with a discussion breaking out, before officers from the national police intervened. It is alleged that Medina was videoed handing over a bag of cash, but the defense claim that this money was for legal services and not connected to the “caso Brugal”.

Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/44276/

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