The Provincial Court of Badajoz has sentenced David Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, brother of the prime minister, to nine years of disqualification for administrative prevarication linked to his hiring at the Badajoz Provincial Council.
The court, unanimously by its three judges, has also imposed 18 years of disqualification on Miguel Ángel Gallardo, former president of the Provincial Council and former leader of the PSOE in Extremadura, for two counts of prevarication. Luis Carrero, a friend of David Sánchez, received the same nine-year penalty as the prime minister's brother.
The 377-page ruling acquits all defendants of the crime of influence peddling, so no prison sentence is imposed. The judgment finds it proven that the coordinator position for conservatory activities was created arbitrarily to favor David Sánchez, who knew in advance it was intended for him and simulated the selection process.
The government has expressed confidence that higher courts will confirm David Sánchez's innocence and described the case as a judicial harassment strategy driven by right-wing and far-right organizations. The PP has called the conviction a historic day and demanded Pedro Sánchez's resignation.
The sentence is not final and can be appealed to the Superior Court of Justice of Extremadura and subsequently to the Supreme Court.
