The National Court confirms seven years in prison for Alfredo Prada, former councilor of Aguirre, for the Justice Campus | Spain

The National Court has confirmed the Penalty of seven years in jail imposed on Alfredo Pradaformer vice president of the Community of Madrid and regional advisor during the governments of Esperanza Aguirre (PP). The Appeal Chamber has rejected the appeal filed by the former popular leader to try to throw down the sentence that declared it guilty of crimes of prevarication and embezzlement for the irregularities detected between 2005 and 2011 in the processing and construction of the Justice Campus, a mastodontic complex that was half to do and He never opened its doors After spending millions of euros on the project.

The court affects that 25 contracts were « arbitrarily awarded » and « without complying with the legal requirements. » But, despite this, it reduces the amount that the expolitic must pay as civil liability along with two other defendants – it remains at 10 million euros, compared to the 40 million set in the first instance -, considering that some of those contracts « have reported some degree of utility and could now serve or in the future to the continuity of the campus project. » In 2019, Isabel Díaz Ayuso's government has already announced that wanted to recover the plan to launch the city of justice.

The Appeal Chamber also maintains the condemnation of three and a half years in prison that was imposed on Alicio de las Heras, former financial director of the Campus; and ratifies the acquittal of Mariano José Sanz Piñar, who was a technical deputy director.

However, the Court modifies the punishment decreed by the Criminal Chamber to the other three defendants in the oral hearing, which are benefited. The penalty dictated for Félix José García de Castro, legal advisor, is reduced to a year and a half of seclusion – in front of three and a half years of prison. And, in turn, the three and a half years of prison dictated for Isabelino Baños, former technical general director; and for Commissioner Andrés Gómez Gordo, former security director and subsequent advisor to María Dolores de Cospedal During her stage as president of Castilla-La Mancha-who is also accused in the Kitchen casepending judgment–. These last two are acquitted of the crime of embezzlement and only a disqualification sentence for the crime of administrative prevarication is maintained.

The Appeal Chamber concludes that the 25 suspicious contracts were « arbitrarily awarded without complying with legal requirements » and, in addition, half « moved away from the social end of the project and dedicated themselves to the pombo. » « This is, to advertising and communication, instead of a public projection and building, » says the ruling, which adds: « The contracts present essential irregularities because a system of choice and award of contracts – public and public money – with transparency of transparency and contractual concurrence. »

« The unequivocal purpose attended, the clear awareness of violating legality and was generated concurrently an obvious damage to the governed public administration, » the resolution, which lists multiple irregularities. Among them, he mentions the payment of payments, the contribution of budgets of the same business group to avoid competition and duplicity of contracting twice services already developed by another winner. Along these lines, the court reproaches Prada that « he could not be awarded capricious and arbitrarily » contracts, nor could « manage public funds, » as if they were individuals. «