Santa Coloma de Farners, February 29, 2024 – A long-shadowed corruption case, dubbed ‘Cas manga,’ has officially been closed after thirteen years, leaving a trail of unanswered questions and political fallout in its wake. The investigation, which began with a raid in February 2013, centered on allegations of bribery and influence peddling to secure public contracts in the Selva region.
‘Cas Manga’ Case Archived After Thirteen Years of Investigation
The case, initially investigated in Lugo and later transferred to Santa coloma de Farners, involved approximately fifty individuals under investigation, including former political leaders. The court ultimately archived the case due to excessive delays in completing the investigation.
- The ‘Cas Manga’ investigation began in February 2013 with the arrest of four individuals, including a department head and a company administrator.
- The case focused on alleged fraudulent awarding of contracts within the Selva region, linked to a wider network investigated in ‘Cas Pokemon.’
- Key figures, including Fauria and Josep Carrapiço, resigned from their positions due to the accusations.
- the court cited the expiration of the instruction deadline (July 2018) and the failure to obtain judicial statements from all investigated parties as reasons for archiving the case.
- the decision is not final and can be appealed to the Girona Audience.
The initial operation was carried out by the Customs Surveillance Service, leading to arrests and searches of public organizations in the Girona area, including Xaloc and the Tourism Board. Charges included bribery, prevarication, influence peddling, breach of secrecy, and embezzlement of public funds.
In 2017, the case was divided into several parts – ‘cas menjadors’ (dining room case), ‘cas piscina’ (pool case), ‘cas caldera’ (boiler case), and ‘cas nora’ (daughter-in-law case) – but the Girona Audience ultimately warned that the investigation had exceeded its deadline.
The court’s decision to archive ‘Cas Manga’ marks the end of a lengthy and complex legal saga, raising questions about the effectiveness of pursuing corruption cases over extended periods.
