Judge Garzón grants bail to another suspect in Cataluña corruption case

Judge Garzón grants bail to another suspect in Cataluña corruption case
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By m.p. - Dec 21, 2009 - 3:16 PM
Bartomeu Muñoz, ex Mayor of Santa Coloma de Gramenet, has been granted bail of half a million Euro

Bartomeu Muñoz arriving at court for questioning in the case - EFE

The ex Mayor of Sant Coloma de Gramenet arrested in the Operation Pretoria corruption swoop has been granted bail by the judge in charge of the case instruction, Baltasar Garzón at the National Court, and will be able to leave prison on payment of half a million €.

The ex Socialist Mayor has been held on remand since 30th October on charges of bribery, fraud, falsifying fiscal documentation and illicit association. The case is investigating more than 45 million € allegedly defrauded from the Town Halls in Santa Coloma, Badalona, and San Andrés de Llavaneras, all of them in Barcelona province.

Should Muñoz be able to come up with the money, the only suspect to remain in prison will be the former MP from the PSC Catalan Socialist Party, Luis García, who El Mundo reports is considered as the head of the corruption network. Other suspects previously released after bail was granted by the judge include the two ex members of Cataluña’s CiU administration allegedly involved, Lluís Prenafeta and Macià Alavedra. They each paid 1 million €.

It’s understood from El Mundo that Bartomeu Muñoz may not leave the country and must report to court every 2 weeks as part of his release conditions. He announced his resignation as Santa Coloma’s Mayor in early November.

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