Case shelved against Alfarnatejo mayor

A MALAGA court has shelved the case against the mayor of Alfarnatejo, Antonio Benitez.

The mayor was accused of embezzlement of public funds and document falsification, but the court considers there is no proof that a crime has been committed.

The case against the mayor was presented by the Conservative Partido Popular Party with claims that money for bills for services which had been carried out by companies for the town hall had been paid into the mayor’s account. They also claimed money had been paid to his father and a former councillor.

According to the report which accompanied the decision to shelve the case, there is no proof that the mayor intended to keep public funds or that he knowingly took part in criminal activity.

The mayor and the rest of the defendants had consistently denied the accusations and the judge considered that their explanations were sufficient to prove their innocence. The judge believes that the mayor provided his own money in order to pay bills to suppliers and then paid it back into his account from the town hall.

The mayor has said that the decision is ‘great news’ for him and his family.