Costa del Sol
Juan Antonio Roca granted bail in the Malaya corruption case in Marbella
By m.p.
Mar 30, 2008 - 6:55 PM

Saturday was two years since the first arrests took place in the Operation Malaya corruption investigation in Marbella, with the main suspect, Juan Antonio Roca, ex real estate assessor at the Town Hall, the only one of those charged to now remain behind bars. He was notified the day before the two-year anniversary of a decision last Thursday by the Malaya instruction judge, Óscar Pérez, that he may now leave prison on payment of 1 million € bail.

The judge said in his ruling that while the risk of flight is ‘high,’ Roca has honoured bail conditions set in other proceedings against him in the past and did not try to escape the country. He also noted that the ex real estate assessor has ‘important economic interests to defend in Spain,’ where his fortune is estimated to be some two hundred million euros.

Speaking for his client on Friday, the lawyer José Anibal Álvarez said the family are now attempting to get the funds together, a situation which he said is complicated by the fact that all Roca’s assets have been impounded as part of the investigation. He is understood to have said he will apply for the amount to be reduced.

The bail conditions set by the judge are that Roca must report to the court closest to his home every day and cannot leave Spain without judicial authorisation. Another condition is that he cannot come within 500 metres of any public or private airport.

Félix Romero, spokesman for the Partido Popular local government in Marbella, told journalists on Friday that the Town Hall plans an appeal against the bail decision.

The ex Marbella Deputy Mayor, Pedro Román. Archive photo – EFE.

The final questioning of suspects meanwhile continues in the case, and before Judge Óscar Pérez this week are Roca’s daughter, María Roca, the businessman, Tomás Olivo, and the former Deputy of ex Mayor, Jesús Gil y Gil, Pedro Román, and his daughter, amongst others, EFE said. Pedro Román is currently serving a one year prison in the Moansa case, and was granted the third grade in prison in February.