Former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos Faces Court Scrutiny in Corruption Case
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office has made a significant request this Thursday to the Supreme Court, seeking to revoke the passport of former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos. They have also asked for his departure from the country to be prohibited and that he appear in court every 15 days. Legal sources cited by Europa Press have confirmed that Judge Leopoldo Puente has yet to render a decision on the matter.
This action follows Ábalos's second appearance as a suspect in the Koldo case, which is named after Koldo García, his former advisor. Arriving at the Supreme Court at 9:33 AM, Ábalos was accompanied by his lawyers and dressed in a blue suit, but opted not to address the waiting media throngs outside.
This marks the second occasion on which the former minister has provided testimony regarding the Koldo case; on December 12, he gave his first statement, denying any allegations of receiving payments or benefits as compensation for the facilitation of public contracts related to sanitary materials and other works during the pandemic. This time, however, he has appeared without the parliamentary immunity that had previously shielded him, as Congress lifted that immunity last January.
The prosecution's request underscores the growing scrutiny faced by public officials regarding allegations of corruption, particularly in light of the public attention and media coverage surrounding the Koldo case. As the legal proceedings continue, it remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will respond to the prosecutor's requests and what implications this will have for Ábalos's political career and public life.
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