It adopts this decision after the Zaragoza Court ordered the filing of the case for the former Foreign Minister
Commitment to investigate the alleged crime of false documents once the path of prevarication or cover-up has been closed
MADRID, 6 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -
The head of the Investigating Court Number 7 of Zaragoza has agreed to extend the investigation of the so-called 'Ghali case' for another six months and redirect it towards the false passport that was used to identify the leader of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, upon his arrival at the San Peter of Logrono. He has adopted this decision after the Provincial Court of Zaragoza ordered the file of the investigations against the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha González Laya for crimes of prevarication and cover-up for the entry of the Saharawi politician to Spain.
As Vozpópuli has advanced and legal sources have confirmed to Europa Press, Judge Rafael Lasala has deemed it pertinent to continue with the line of investigation into the alleged crime of false documents since Ghali was identified at the hospital with an Algerian passport under the name of Mohamed Benbatouche.
Thus, it will continue with the proceedings that it ordered last April, when it asked the Polisario Front Delegation in Spain to provide the current address of Luali Brahim Sid El Mustafa, son of Brahim Ghali, to take his statement as a witness.
Judge Lasala agreed to release said document to the Polisario Front after during an interrogation in court a worker from the San Pedro de Logroño Hospital assured that Ghali's son could have been the person who provided the false passport to the health center.
Within the framework of that diligence, the instructor also issued a letter to the Ertzaintza Police Station in Vitoria to confirm whether the address that had already been provided by the Superior Police Headquarters of Aragon corresponded to the son of the Polisario leader.
The employee who registered the Saharawi politician in the hospital admissions service testified on April 11 as a witness and by videoconference before the judge. Legal sources then assured Europa Press that the worker, although initially she was unable to identify the individual who entered Ghali, finally provided a description that would coincide with the son of the Polisario leader.
The sources consulted by this agency have specified that, for now, Judge Lasala is investigating facts related to the alleged crime of false documents and not persons. This is so after the Provincial Court of Zaragoza ordered the file of the case for which she was the only one investigated: former minister González Laya.
Specifically, on May 26, the Zaragoza Court concluded that it was pertinent to file the procedure that was being followed against González Laya, as it did not see evidence of a crime in his actions in the context of Ghali's entry into Spain, which produced the night of April 18, 2021 without passing border or documentation controls.
"Although it is undeniable that Ms. González Laya was aware of the intention that Mr. Ghali be treated in Spain and took an active part in the preparations that led to it, however, there is no evidence to support the conclusion that knew of the existence of a judicial interest in that person," the judicial body said. Thus, he closed the door to investigations for alleged crimes of prevarication and cover-up.