WIN WIN WIN 2 pairs of tickets for Pink Floyd concert in exclusive Olive Press offer - Page 17
olive press NUMBER CRUNCHED The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía
the
Let HiFX help you reach your destination. www.hifx.co.uk
AXED: Royals face chop
We want a Republic! TWO thirds of Spaniards want a vote on whether the country should scrap its monarchy. According to a survey in El Pais, 62% of Spanish people want a referendum on becoming a republic, with 34% against it. It comes after a series of large protests around the country called for an end to the monarchy after the king announced he is abdicating in favour of son Felipe later this month.
Majority
Despite broad support for a referendum, the poll revealed however, that only a minority of Spaniards would in fact prefer a republican form of government. Nearly half of respondents said that if asked, they would still support a monarchy headed by Felipe VI, while 36% said they would demand a return to a republic. Moreover, the majority of residents applauded King Juan Carlos’ decision to abdicate. The popularity rating of the monarchy is said to have gone up from 49% to 56% since the abdication was announced two weeks ago, according to a poll in El Mundo. Of those questioned 73% said Felipe would make a good king. Continued on Page 4
FREE
Vol. 8 Issue 189 www.theolivepress.es
EXCLUSIVE By Imogen Calderwood
A BRITISH couple claim their accountant stole €22,000 from them after forging court documents. Expats Mike and Jean Lett insist that the disgraced Estepona councillor took the money on a number of occasions and illegally reinvested it in his own name. The couple, who run furniture business Jean’s Emporium in Estepona, had used Manuel Reina Contreras for eight years for their business. They have denounced the former PES councillor - who is also being investigated over the multimillion euro Astapa corruption scandal - and their case is now going through the courts. “We cannot believe this man could get away with this. He saw a way of getting quick
June 11 - June 25 2014
British couple call in the police after their accountant runs off with €22,000
vide us with an invoice which he said was from the court.” However, they started to suspect Contreras and decided to get their lawyer to look into the situation. “It was at that point we found out that all was not as it seemed and the documentation supposedly from the courthouse was forged.” It turned out it was not the first time Contreras had been on the wrong side of the law.
Hats off to Laurie Lee
100 years since birth of seminal writer and lover of Spain See Pages 24 - 25
Bribery
RIPPED OFF: The Letts and (right) Contreras arrested money and he took it,” Mr Lett, 72, told the Olive Press. The Letts - who have lived in Spain for 28 years - had given the money to Contreras to prevent a court from repossessing a hotel they owned in San Roque. The accountant had told them
TAKING ON THE WORLD Ronda hotel voted best in Spain while Gibraltar selects its candidate for next Miss World See Pages 15 and 42
that Estepona court needed the money if they were to prevent a foreclosure on the building that they were in the process of selling. However, as it later emerged, the court had never solicited the money at all and both requests and receipts from a judge were allegedly forged. “This is where our real problems started,” said Mrs Lett, 68, from Newquay. “One time Contreras even drove me to the bank to withdraw the money, because he said if it wasn’t paid into the court that day everything would be null and void. “Each time we would pay the ‘rent’ money to him, he would pro-
In June 2008, he was arrested alongside Estepona mayor Antonio Barrientos, in a complex web of corruption involving fraudulent land rezoning, bribery and moneylaundering. The former Councillor for the Economy at Estepona town hall was one of five people remanded in custody in the Astapa case. Now, despite numerous requests for the return of their money, the Letts haven’t seen a penny and the hotel has been repossessed. When contacted by the Olive Press, Contreras said this week: “The only thing I have to say is that I have made mistakes. I have a lot of problems and my priority now is to solve them. “I feel bad about what I have done to these good people, and I only hope I can pay them back.”
Flamenco star in town Olive Press probes Jaoquin Cortes on Naomi and more See Page 20
The Bitch is back! Joan Collins is getting big in Benidorm, believe it or not See Page 3
Costa Del Sols Leading Building and Window Specialist, since 1996.
For further information see our advert inside. T: 952 587 573 F: 952 587 543 info@grupo-protec.com www.grupo-protec.com Protec Group
UK TV Solutions Installations Troubleshooting •
663 303 932 / 675 033 474 info@alpusat.com www.alpusat.com Fully accreditted BSKYB technician based in Las Alpujarras Find us on facebook.com/alpusat.alpujarra