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BARRERA IN COURT AGAIN
Gemma Quinn / 2011-01-15 12:27:19
The Alicante Prosecutor has formally accused former councillor of San Fulgencio, Manuel Barrera, with two counts of embezzlement of public funds and a third of extortion.
Barrera has said that he is innocent and does not understand why proceedings are continuing when he has provided evidence, at his discretion, exempting him from such crimes he is accused of.
The complaint against Barrera goes back to 2008, when he was Councillor of Finance, Commerce, Industry and Tourism of San Fulgencio. During that time Barrera supposedly received ‘in his capacity as councilman’ 1,175€ in Virgin de la Paz fiestas, money, which it is claimed, was not deposited in to municipal coffers.
The prosecutor also noted irregularities in the management of the open bar that was mounted for the fiestas, and for which a company paid 3,000€ to be present which was also not presented to the council.
According to the court ruling Barrera also required vendors who set up stands during the four days of festivities to pay a hundred euros a day each, which represented a total of 2,400€ in fees, which was not audited by the consistory intervention services, appropriate to any tax ordinance.
Barrera's attorney requested a stay of proceedings, something the judge rejected claiming that "so far acted as there are many testimonies and reports of people linked to the council indicating the alleged commission of a crime of embezzlement."
Barrera says he is not worried by the fact “because I am innocent. No one is going to go scot-free for what they are doing to me...I will be victorious” Said the councilman, who has not revealed his political future.
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