The judge of the National Court releases the detainees with preventive measures
The judge of the National Court, Ismael Moreno, has released with preventive measures Koldo García, the former adviser of José Luis Ábalos, and three other individuals arrested in the case investigating the alleged collection of illegal commissions in healthcare contracts during the covid pandemic. In addition to Koldo García, the other three arrested who have been released are his brother, Joseba García, the president of Zamora CF, Víctor de Aldama, and businessman Iñigo Rotaetxe. All the detainees have accepted their right not to testify this Thursday before the judge of the National Court. The precautionary measures requested are regular court appearances and withdrawal of the passport.
Investigation and searches in eight provinces
The investigation, led by the National Court with the participation of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, was carried out this Wednesday in eight provinces throughout Spain, carrying out 26 searches. So far, the investigation has resulted in the arrest of 20 people, including Koldo García, his wife Patricia Uritz Iriarte and his brother Joseba García. According to Europa Press, in some of the searches carried out, agents found empty safes. The case is being investigated for crimes of criminal organization, influence peddling, money laundering and against the Public Treasury, in the context of an investigation into the purchase and award of medical equipment.
Acquisition of health equipment during the pandemic
The judicial investigation focuses on the acquisition of medical equipment by the Ministries of the Interior and Transport, as well as the autonomous communities of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, during the covid-19 pandemic. The administrations involved acquired material for a total value of 53 million euros. In the case of the Ministry of the Interior, Rafael Pérez signed the award of protective material for the staff of the Interior to the company Solucions de Gestión i Suport a l’Empresa for a value of 3,479,355 euros. These contracts were processed through the negotiated procedure without publicity and with an emergency nature. It is suspected that Koldo García participated in the negotiations to obtain the products and would have received bribes for the contracts, which he would later have tried to launder through various investments. The Ministry of Transport also managed agreements with different airlines to transport the masks to Spain.
Detention of liberty with preventive measures
The judge has decided to release the detainees with preventive measures, which include regular court appearances and passport withdrawal. The aim of these measures is to guarantee the presence of those under investigation during the judicial process and to prevent the risk of escape.
Ongoing investigation
The investigation into the alleged collection of illegal commissions on healthcare contracts during the covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing. The National Court, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Central Operative Unit of the Civil Guard continue to work together to clarify the facts and determine possible responsibilities.