Former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos Seeks Delay in Koldo Case Testimony
Former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos has formally requested the Supreme Court to postpone his scheduled voluntary testimony on December 12 in connection with the controversial Koldo case. His defense team argues that they require additional time to thoroughly review the extensive case file, which became accessible only recently. According to documents obtained by Europa Press, Ábalos's legal representatives emphasized that the case file was delivered on December 5, and given its substantial length, it is impractical for them to study it adequately before the hearing.
Supreme Court Judge Leopoldo Puente had previously set the date for Ábalos's appearance, following allegations concerning irregularities in the procurement of masks during the pandemic. As part of their efforts to prepare, the defense team attempted to access the case file electronically on the following Tuesday. However, they encountered technical difficulties, preventing them from opening the necessary documents. Consequently, a member of the defense was obliged to visit the Supreme Court in person to copy the complete updates onto a flash drive.
This technical setback, combined with the volume of the materials to review, has hindered the defense’s ability to prepare adequately for the upcoming appearance and to formulate responses to potential questions. Thus, they have submitted a request for postponement formally to the court.
Compounding the situation, the prosecutor in the case has also reminded the Supreme Court that Ábalos has a critical trial date already scheduled for December 19. This overlapping timeline raises concerns about the effective preparation for both the voluntary testimony and the subsequent trial, highlighting the complexities involved in legal processes related to high-profile figures.
As the legal proceedings unfold, many observers are watching carefully for further developments in this significant case involving pandemic-related procurement issues.
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