Costa Blanca
Suspect in murder of Mayor of Polop de la Marina was wanted in another case
By m.p. - Nov 11, 2009 - 11:53 AM
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The scene of the shooting - EFE archive
He jumped his release conditions on drugs and weapons charges the month after the Mayor was shot
The man arrested in connection with the murder of the Mayor of Polop de la Marina has been named as a 34 year old Spaniard, R.M.T. He was taken into custody in Albatera last Thursday, just over two years after the Mayor, Alejandro Ponsoda, was fatally shot outside his home in Xirles.
Detectives believe the suspect acted with two others, believed to be Czechs, who were contracted to kill the Mayor. The person who hired the hit men has yet to be identified, neither there has been confirmation on the motive, despite reports in the press last week that it may have been in connection with a real estate deal which the Mayor had opposed.
R.M.T. was escorted from Fontcalent prison on Tuesday for questioning in the provincial court on another case dating from 2006, in which he faces a possible 10 years in prison for drug dealing and illegal possession of weapons. Diario Información reports that he was arrested in that case in possession of 4 guns, ecstasy tablets, and 21,000 € worth of cocaine. He was released from remand in March 2007, complying with his release condition of reporting to the court every 2 weeks for the following 7 months, until he failed to do so on 15th November 2007.
A warrant was then issued for his arrest.