The last trial of the Montecarlo case will start the judicial year of 2023, with 11 people in the dock

The hearing will begin in January and several defendants who are awaiting sentencing in another case will repeat, such as José Montelongo, Carlos Sáenz, Eduardo Lasso, Isabel Martinón and Víctor Sanginés

I.L.

Journalist

July 26 2022 (08:04 WEST)
Updated in November 4 2022 (13:04 WEST)
José Montelongo, during his statement as defendant in his first trial of the Montecarlo case (PHOTOS: José Luis Carrasco)
José Montelongo, during his statement as defendant in his first trial of the Montecarlo case (PHOTOS: José Luis Carrasco)

The main corruption cases that have been dragging on for at least a decade in Lanzarote could finally be judged next year. In addition to pointing out the dates of the hearing that was pending in the Unión case, derived from Operation Jable, the Provincial Court has also scheduled the last trial of the Montecarlo case for 2023.

In addition, two other trials are scheduled for the remainder of 2022: in September the trial of the Costa Roja license, and in November the retrial of La Bufona had been scheduled, although it has been delayed again.

As for the last piece of Montecarlo, focused on the allegedly illegal payments and for services not provided to the company Tunera Producciones, the hearing will begin on January 30 and is scheduled to take place in 15 days, ending on February 17.

The trial will be conducted by the First Section of the Provincial Court, which will hold some sessions in Arrecife and others in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

In total, 11 people are accused, and several of them have already been recently tried in another piece of Montecarlo, which is awaiting sentencing.

Among them is the former mayor of Arrecife, José Montelongo, who was finance councilor when the events occurred, under the government of the PP and the PSOE presided over by Cándido Reguera. Reguera himself was also investigated in this and other parts of the case, but died during the investigation.

Along with Montelongo, ten other people will be in the dock, for alleged crimes of embezzlement of public funds, fraud against the administration, administrative prevarication and documentary falsification.

The Prosecutor's Office is asking for prison sentences of between three and six years for them, in addition to the payment of fines and the payment of civil liability, which would involve the return to the City Council of the money allegedly embezzled.

The former comptroller of Arrecife, Carlos Sáenz, who has already confessed in all the pieces of the Montecarlo case that have been tried, including the one awaiting sentencing, is also repeating as a defendant in the trial. The former councilors Eduardo Lasso (PIL), Isabel Martinón (PNL) and Víctor Sanginés (PSOE) will also repeat in the dock, and will now be joined by the former councilor Lorenzo Lemaur (PP).

In addition, the municipal workers José Nieves Caraballo, Miguel Ángel Leal, Blas Antonio Cedrés and Francisco Hernández Betancort are accused, as well as the businessman Eduardo Ferrer, owner of Tunera Producciones.


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