A Local Police officer from Teguise reports alleged irregularities in the processing of traffic fines to the Prosecutor's Office

A Local Police officer from Teguise reports alleged irregularities in the processing of traffic fines to the Prosecutor's Office

The Anti-Corruption League in the Canary Islands has revealed that a Local Police officer from Teguise reported alleged irregularities in this department to the Arrecife Prosecutor's Office on July 8, in ...

July 15 2013 (22:50 WEST)
A Local Police officer from Teguise reports alleged irregularities in the processing of traffic fines to the Prosecutor's Office
A Local Police officer from Teguise reports alleged irregularities in the processing of traffic fines to the Prosecutor's Office

The Anti-Corruption League in the Canary Islands has revealed that a Local Police officer from Teguise reported alleged irregularities in this department to the Arrecife Prosecutor's Office on July 8, specifically in the processing of sanctions. Some of them affect councilors of the City Council and are "systematically annulled in offices", says the complainant, who is an agent of this body. The Consistory has opened an internal investigation, as confirmed to La Voz by the Councilor for Police, Miguel Ángel Jiménez.

The group has sent the complaint filed with the Prosecutor's Office, which consists of 6 pages. In them, a Local Police officer from Teguise states that during the month of April 2013 he became aware of "an irregularly processed complaint file" and after "a slight investigation" he was able to observe "irregularities in two files, which started the investigations".

The first file he analyzed was a traffic complaint to the vehicle "of a brother of a councilor", who is the instructor of the files. "In this file, the mayor issues a resolution upholding the allegations, without said allegations being sent for ratification. A week later, the instructor rejects the mayor's resolution and sends a certificate to the defendant. The payment of the complaint by deposit into a bank account is made voluntarily five days before the proposed resolution is notified to him", he assures in the complaint.

Subsequently, he analyzed another file, in which "comments and expressions are made that are not in accordance with the administrative procedure, to end up upholding the defendant's allegations." In addition, he insists that between 2008 and 2013, 192 files were closed when the resolutions were upheld, 83 due to defects in form, 28 due to recording errors and 190 due to being time-barred. "There were many files with defects in form and too many that were time-barred", considered this Local Police officer.

Faced with all this, he requested a meeting with the mayor, Oswaldo Betancort, and with the Councilor for Police, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, which the mayor was ultimately unable to attend. "In that meeting, the councilor confirmed that he was also aware of those rumors circulating about traffic complaints", according to the agent in this complaint. At that time, the police officer requested that a reserved file be opened and that this entire matter be investigated.

Complaints affecting councilors

In the list of files that were closed due to a recording error, one of them stands out because the defendant is a councilor from the government group. According to the complaint filed with the Prosecutor's Office, "it is not stated what the recording error consists of or the procedure followed" to close this file.

Regarding the complaints that have been closed due to defects in form, some are included that "should have followed their legal procedure, as they are not defendants residing in third countries, but rather people and/or companies known and residing on the island." In this case, another file stands out in which another councilor appears as the defendant, who at the time of the complaint was a councilor from the government group and is now in the opposition. "The computer program states that the file was closed due to a defect in form, but does not specify the reason or cause of that defect in form. It is not stated that allegations were presented", the document taken to the Prosecutor's Office states.

Several councilors also appear in the 190 files that were closed alleging the statute of limitations. In this case, a third councilor appears, who at that time was part of the government group. "The computer program states that the file was closed but does not specify the cause and reason for the statute of limitations", he states. Always according to the complaint, a sanction also appears to a former mayor, which also expired almost two years later "without it being stated that allegations were presented".

Regarding the upheld allegations that ended with the closure of the sanctions, the complaint states that there are several files for vehicles of councilors and even the mayor. "It is not stated that they presented allegations. They are directly upheld in the office and without stating the reason for the upholding. Allegations were not sent to the Local Police", he states.

In addition, in one of the files, the written allegations are not presented by the reported driver, but by the company manager. "The allegations have a period of 15 days and are presented almost 100 days later. The computer program states that the file was closed four months after the complaint and without stating the reason for the upholding", the complaint insists.

"An arbitrary" treatment of the files

In summary, the Local Police officer from Teguise points out in his complaint that the treatment given to the files "by the different instructors and by the mayors during the years 2008-2013 is arbitrary, without respecting the essential rules of procedure and with a total absence of legal basis in the resolutions".

Faced with this complaint, the Anti-Corruption League has announced that it will appear as a private prosecution and has expressed its support "to the brave agents who have investigated and uncovered this entire alleged network of corruption and malpractice in municipal management".

Investigation by the City Council

The Councilor for Local Police, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, has stated that this matter "is in the hands of the lawyer" of the City Council. "I knew they were going to file the complaint, but nothing more. This was before I went on vacation, around July 5. I met with this gentleman and we are investigating, of course we are", he stated.

At the moment, he does not know what results this investigation is giving, since he has been on vacation for a few days, although he will return this week. "I ordered an investigation and now I will have to ask", he indicated.

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