Supreme Court Dismisses Participation of ex-Chief of Staff in Secret Disclosure Case
The court finds no evidence implicating Pilar Sánchez Acera in the alleged revelation of sensitive information regarding Madrid President Ayuso’s partner.
The Tribunal Supremo in Spain has ruled that Pilar Sánchez Acera, former chief of staff for Óscar López, is not involved in the alleged revelation of confidential information concerning the partner of Madrid’s President Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
Judge Ángel Luis Hurtado, overseeing the case, stated that there is insufficient evidence to support claims against Sánchez Acera, despite highlighting what he referred to as "important fissures" in her witness testimony given on March 12.
In a decision made public recently, Hurtado dismissed several requests from the private prosecution on behalf of Alberto González Amador and the popular prosecution by the Fundación Foro Libertad y Alternativa.
These requests aimed to investigate mobile devices belonging to Sánchez Acera and other PSOE officials, including Santos Cerdán and Antolín Llorente, as well as to summon the chief of staff for Juan Lobato for questioning.
The ruling emphasized that the requested inquiries about the subsequent handling of a February 2, 2024, email received by Sánchez Acera are irrelevant to the case.
Since Sánchez Acera has been ruled out as a potential participant in any alleged leak, the court found no necessity to extend the investigation into aspects that would only track the email's later distribution.
The judge clarified that a public official’s involvement in the alleged leak is a requirement for establishing a crime of disclosing confidential information.
Furthermore, the judge stated that since Sánchez Acera only acted upon receiving the information and did not disclose any secrets herself, the primary condition for considering her a participant in the alleged crime is absent.
Her actions were confined to passing the email, which is believed to have been leaked from the Public Prosecutor's Office, to Juan Lobato for use in the Madrid Assembly on March 14.
Additionally, while concluding the investigation into her alleged involvement, Hurtado noted that Sánchez Acera's testimony held inconsistencies, particularly regarding the nature of the email's reception.
She described the email as a document she received via a WhatsApp photograph but was unable to recall the sender.
The judge expressed skepticism about her recollection, suggesting that her inability to positively identify the source of a significant document undermined her statements.
The ruling pointed out that Sánchez Acera's inability to retrieve the original information from her mobile device due to having changed phones adds to the account's complexity.
The judge remarked that her conduct does not exemplify cooperation in clarifying the events; however, it does not rise to the level of criminal participation in the disclosure of secrets.
Hurtado emphasized that any potential issues regarding her testimony may warrant separate investigation but would not affect the current case.
Judge Ángel Luis Hurtado, overseeing the case, stated that there is insufficient evidence to support claims against Sánchez Acera, despite highlighting what he referred to as "important fissures" in her witness testimony given on March 12.
In a decision made public recently, Hurtado dismissed several requests from the private prosecution on behalf of Alberto González Amador and the popular prosecution by the Fundación Foro Libertad y Alternativa.
These requests aimed to investigate mobile devices belonging to Sánchez Acera and other PSOE officials, including Santos Cerdán and Antolín Llorente, as well as to summon the chief of staff for Juan Lobato for questioning.
The ruling emphasized that the requested inquiries about the subsequent handling of a February 2, 2024, email received by Sánchez Acera are irrelevant to the case.
Since Sánchez Acera has been ruled out as a potential participant in any alleged leak, the court found no necessity to extend the investigation into aspects that would only track the email's later distribution.
The judge clarified that a public official’s involvement in the alleged leak is a requirement for establishing a crime of disclosing confidential information.
Furthermore, the judge stated that since Sánchez Acera only acted upon receiving the information and did not disclose any secrets herself, the primary condition for considering her a participant in the alleged crime is absent.
Her actions were confined to passing the email, which is believed to have been leaked from the Public Prosecutor's Office, to Juan Lobato for use in the Madrid Assembly on March 14.
Additionally, while concluding the investigation into her alleged involvement, Hurtado noted that Sánchez Acera's testimony held inconsistencies, particularly regarding the nature of the email's reception.
She described the email as a document she received via a WhatsApp photograph but was unable to recall the sender.
The judge expressed skepticism about her recollection, suggesting that her inability to positively identify the source of a significant document undermined her statements.
The ruling pointed out that Sánchez Acera's inability to retrieve the original information from her mobile device due to having changed phones adds to the account's complexity.
The judge remarked that her conduct does not exemplify cooperation in clarifying the events; however, it does not rise to the level of criminal participation in the disclosure of secrets.
Hurtado emphasized that any potential issues regarding her testimony may warrant separate investigation but would not affect the current case.
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Translated by AI
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