The former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees accepts his right not to testify
The former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Arbitrators (CTA), José María Enríquez Negreira, has decided not to testify before the head of the court of inquiry 1 of Barcelona, Joaquín Aguirre, in relation to the so-called Negreira case. This case investigates the reasons why Enríquez Negreira received around 7.6 million euros from Futbol Club Barcelona between the years 2011 and 2018. The former vice-president of the CTA has been cited as investigated to clarify this issue, since the Prosecutor’s Office Anti-corruption suspects that the payments were not made solely for reports on referees at the club. Negreira’s son, Javier Enríquez, is also being investigated in this case.
The allegation of health problems
Negreira’s lawyer, Daniel Pérez-Esqué, has informed the judge that his 79-year-old client is not in a position to testify due to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The magistrate has requested an evaluation by the court’s forensic pathologist, who has concluded that Enríquez Negreira has some memory loss, but that his volitional capacities are not affected. However, the judge has cited the former vice-president of the CTA on several occasions, and in this latest appearance, Negreira has not made any allegation related to his health, limiting himself to his right not to testify , as permitted by law.
The imputation of Joan Laporta
The judge in the Negreira case has charged the president of Barcelona Football Club, Joan Laporta, with payments made to Enríquez Negreira during his first term. However, Anticorruption prosecutors consider that these facts have already expired. In addition, the defenses of the investigated have submitted appeals denying the existence of the crime of bribery attributed to the judge, since they consider that Negreira is not an official, a statement shared by the prosecutors. The initial crimes in the Prosecutor’s complaint are corruption in sport and disloyal administration.
The payments of Futbol Club Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona made payments to Enríquez Negreira for a total of 7.6 million euros between the years 2001 and 2018. These payments were made to receive reports on referees, but the accusations suspect that they were actually to influence the decisions of the collegiates. The Prosecutor’s Office maintains that the statute of limitations for the crimes must be counted from the last payment made by Joan Laporta in June 2010. According to this interpretation, Laporta’s criminal responsibility would have expired in 2020, while the Prosecutor’s complaint it was not filed until 2023, which stops the statute of limitations.
Other investigated and accusations
The judge in the Negreira case will have to summon the other investigated to testify, such as the ex-presidents of the Barcelona Football Club, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, and the ex-directors of the club Òscar Grau and Albert Sole. Meanwhile, the Civil Guard is preparing a report on the material seized during the registration to the Technical Committee of Referees in Madrid. On the other hand, the Real Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has been accepted as a private prosecution in this case after presenting an appeal to the Court of Barcelona.
conclusion
The Negreira case continues with the investigation into the payments made by Futbol Club Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira. The former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees has accepted his right not to testify before the judge, while others investigated, such as Joan Laporta, will have to respond to the charges. The statute of limitations and the involvement of different prosecutions make this case a complex and evolving issue.
