The Court acquits González Cejas and others in Médano Park plan case

The High Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has acquitted the former mayor of Granadilla de Abona, Francisco González Cejas (PSOE), and the six other councillors who were charged with a possible offence of malfeasance in public office in connection with the processing of the Médano Park local development plan.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office accused them of having committed an offence by supporting that plan with their votes, knowing that González Cejas was a co-owner of the company that owned the land, in which he held 400 shares that he sold for more than 200,000 euros

In its judgement, the Provincial Court explains that it has no doubts as to the legality of the resolutions approved by the Governing Boards and plenary sessions with the defendants‘ votes in favour, and therefore rules out the possibility that a criminal offence was committed.

Granadilla: Expert reports support the legality of 'Médano Park'

In this regard, the judges state that the technical and legal reports issued in the administrative file «do not rule against the approval of such agreements on the grounds that they are contrary to the legal system or that they constitute arbitrary decisions».

At the trial, the former mayor stated that, whilst that local development plan was being processed, he had always acted in accordance with the reports drawn up by the technical experts, including those of the municipal secretary and the auditor; he therefore defended the legality of everything that took place in relation to that town planning case between 2004 and 2006.

In its closing submissions, the Public Prosecutor’s Office reduced its request for disqualification of the defendants from ten to four years.

González Cejas explains his shareholding and absence

Before the court, the former mayor argued that he had signed the decrees approving the document because he had the authority to do so and there were no legal conflicts of interest arising from the fact that he held 440 shares in the property development company, the very reason why he was absent from the plenary session when the final approval took place.

He also said that, at the time, he sold 2 per cent of his shares as part of a settlement at the same price as the other shareholders, without having received any preferential treatment at any time.

Médano Beach Sur confirms reduced building plot area

The court endorsed the testimony of several experts, who corroborated the statements made by the administrator of Médano Beach Sur SA.

He stated that the City Council, rather than favouring them, had reduced the buildable area by 30 per cent and classified those plots as rural land, despite the fact that González Cejas was a partner.

The councillors facing the allegations spoke very briefly to argue that they had simply voted in accordance with the advice given to them by the experts in their reports.