The developer Miguel Morales will be in the dock on October 24, accused of a crime against land planning and another of serious disobedience to authority, for the construction of three warehouses, a concrete plant and an aggregate crusher in Arrecife. In its indictment, the Prosecutor's Office requests a total of three years and seven months in prison (two years and nine months for the crime against the territory and 10 months for disobedience).
In addition, the prosecutor also requests the demolition of the works, and that Morales be imposed a fine of 20 months, at a rate of 100 euros per day (which would mean the payment of about 60,000 euros), as well as
the "special disqualification for the exercise of any construction profession related to the crime committed for two years and nine months".
The events date back to mid-2002, when the company Hormigones y Construcciones de Arrecife (Hormiconsa) began construction without a building permit. In addition, the prosecutor stresses that "in no case could he have obtained it", since it was land protected for its natural ecological value, as it was in a jable crossing area.
Three years after its start, in 2005, the works were sealed by the Arrecife City Council. However, the prosecutor's indictment states that "despite being warned" that if he continued the works, he would incur a crime of disobedience, the developer continued with the works, "with full knowledge and seriously undermining the exercise of authority."
Case against those responsible for the City Council dismissed
In 2006, the then councilor of Alternativa Ciudadana, Andrés Barreto, went to the courts to denounce that the works were continuing in contravention of the law, and included in his complaint those responsible for the Arrecife City Council, of which María Isabel Déniz was then mayor, and Nuria Cabrera, councilor for Urban Planning.
The City Council had even imposed a sanction on the company, but Alternativa Ciudadana denounced that the City Council had not requested the demolition of the works carried out up to that moment, and was also allowing them to continue.
However, during the investigation of the case, which was carried out by the Court of Instruction Number 6 of Arrecife, the proceedings against the municipal officials were dismissed, understanding that they had at least taken some action to stop the works, even sealing the works and sanctioning the company. Therefore, according to the indictment, the developer, Miguel Morales, who at the end of October will face this hearing in the Criminal Court number 3 of Arrecife, incurred a crime of disobedience and another against land planning.
