The Supreme Court has announced the composition of the Criminal Chamber responsible for trying the former Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalos, his former advisor Koldo García, and the businessman Víctor Gonzalo de Aldama, in the case concerning the irregular contracting of masks and other sanitary materials during the COVID-19 pandemic. (poderjudicial.es)
The Chamber will be composed of seven magistrates, as confirmed by the General Council of the Judiciary, meeting the legal requirements to publicly announce the judges who will act in this criminal proceeding.
The trial focuses on the alleged commission of crimes such as membership in a criminal organization, continuous bribery, influence peddling, embezzlement of public funds, and falsification of official documents, in relation to contracts awarded by the Ministry of Transport to private companies during the health emergency.
The Supreme Court upholds the precautionary measures imposed on the defendants: Ábalos and García remain under provisional detention without bail, while Aldama continues with periodic appearances and passport surrender, to ensure their presence during the proceedings.
In addition, Ábalos and García must each provide a **bond of 60,000 euros** to cover potential economic liabilities arising from the case, according to the Court's order.
The case, known as the "Koldo case", continues to attract great media interest due to the involvement of the former minister and the possible diversion of funds in the midst of the health crisis. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office has requested sentences of up to 24 years in prison for Ábalos, 19.5 years for García, and 7 years for Aldama.
The Judiciary clarifies that disclosing the magistrates of the Chamber is a formal procedure that ensures transparency regarding who will investigate and judge this case, one of the most important in Spain for corruption related to the management of a health crisis.