The Supreme Court has sentenced former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos to 24 years in prison, his former advisor Koldo García to 19 years, and businessman Víctor de Aldama to four and a half years, finding them responsible for irregularities in the acquisition of masks during the pandemic.
The decision was adopted unanimously by the magistrates of the Criminal Chamber in a ruling, to which Europa Press has had access, following the trial held against the three defendants between April and May, a process that lasted for 14 sessions.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office had requested sentences of 24 years in prison for the former minister, 19 and a half for his former advisor, and 7 years for Aldama. In turn, the popular prosecutions, led by the PP, demanded 30 years in prison for both Ábalos and García, who have remained in provisional detention since last November, and five years for the businessman.
In the oral hearing, Ábalos and his former advisor defended their innocence regarding the acts attributed to them and requested their acquittal, while Aldama admitted his involvement in the crimes of "passive bribery, criminal organization, and misuse of privileged information".
(((TO BE CONTINUED)))