The ‘Mediator’ case continues to speak volumes. The general Espinosa Navasthe only member in prison of the ‘Mediator’ case, has requested again to be released from prison. She assures that now it is a “social corpse” and unable to destroy evidence. He does so after the judge has annulled the statement of his supposed lover.
“A Social Corpse”
The defense of the retired general of the Civil Guard Francisco Espinosa, who is the only one of the twelve defendants in the ‘Mediator’ case who is in preventive detention, has once again requested the Investigating Court number 4 of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to be released on the understanding that he is a “social corpse” with no ability to destroy evidence.
In the letter that is addressed to the Court to which EFE has had access, Espinosa’s lawyer once again demands the release of his client after having suspended the statements of the two witnesses who were summoned on March 31, a woman whom which in the case the police reports refer to as ‘Espinosa’s lover and the rally driver Luis Monzonthrough which those involved in the plot allegedly intended to gain influence with two important businessmen from Gran Canaria to whom they wanted to sell solar panels, who are the owners of the Lopesan hotel group and UD Las Palmas.
instructional delay
The lawyer states in the letter that the suspension of witness statements implies a delay in the investigation that has not been caused by his client, but that harms him. He also alleges that the instruction is taking longer than desired and “procedurally appropriate.” He also considers that the indications that appear in the records against his client do not imply, in his opinion, “an eventual commission of especially serious crimes, neither in terms of their significance, nor in terms of their amount.”
General Espinosa was arrested on February 14 with charges of bribery, influence peddling and membership of a criminal groupaccused of being one of the ringleaders of a plot that allegedly collected bribes from businessmen to mediate on their behalf in contracts or public aid.