Costa del Sol

Ex Ronda mayor, Antonio Marin, released on bail

By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 07 Oct 2011 • 15:55

THE former socialist mayor of Ronda, Antonio Marin, arrested last week in the ‘Acinipo’ corruption case has been released on bail of €150,000.

Marin is charged with corruption, coercion, embezzlement, money laundering and influence peddling and was given 15 days to pay the bail. Meanwhile, bail for former councillors Maria Jose Martin de Haro and Rafael Lara was set at €80,000 and €50,000 respectively.

Former deputy mayor of Ronda, PSOE secretary general for the town and member of the provincial government, Francisco Cañestro, and Miguel Angel B. A., a former employee of the local promoter Grupo Ruiz Jurado, in charge of building the Eroski shopping centre in the town, were both released without bail but with the same charges.

The other two people arrested, both external advisors for Basque company Eroski, were also released with charges.

Secrecy has been imposed upon the case, which focuses on the construction of the Eroski shopping centre, Los Merinos urbanization, and possible illegal buildings in the Hoya del Tajo area.

The Socialist party in Ronda has decided to organize a management team to organize the party at a local level.

The charged councillors resigned this week, and others will be named in the near future. The team will prepare Ronda socialist party for the general and regional elections.

Militant members of the party in Ronda have reportedly requested that the PSOE Provincial Secretary in Malaga, Miguel Angel Heredia, resign, although the party’s secretary for organization, Francisco Conejo, who was also allegedly asked to resign, says that this is not so.