Voted Best
ISSUE NO. 1746
20 - 26 December 2018
Newspaper in Spain 2017 & 2018
COSTA DEL SOL
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Mayor on trial defence team argued that matters connected to the officials had already been settled in other hearings. Prosecutors brought up Muñoz’s connections with a businessman and claimed he had been sold a house on generous terms as a favour, which he denied. Six of those standing trial with Muñoz have reached an agreement with prosecutors which saw them admit to abusing their council positions. They have been disqualified from holding public office for eight years. The trial for Muñoz and the 10 remaining defendants continues.
By Joe Gerrard THE former mayor of Marbella has described politicians as ‘smoke sellers’ while standing trial in Malaga City over alleged improper contract dealings and hiring while in office. Julian Muñoz, Marbella’s mayor from 2002 to 2003, appeared in the First Section of Malaga Provincial Court along with 16 other defendants for the start of his trial on Monday. Prosecutors claim Muñoz awarded public building contracts in the city without putting them out to bidding or proper scrutiny and that he hired workers improperly, which he denies. He faces up to 11 years in prison and being ordered to pay €2.25 million in damages to Marbella City Council if found guilty. “Politicians are sellers of smoke,” Muñoz said. He went on to deny that he had profit-
IN COURT: Muñoz is standing trial in Malaga City. ed from alleged irregularities. Muñoz told the court that no one had warned members of his administration that they were committing irregularities over the contracts. He added he did not make any of the decisions referred
to by the prosecution, but that he had presided over a committee who approved the contracts. Prosecutors asked Muñoz about his connection with several former Marbella City Council officials. He and his
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