Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)IT didn’t take long.
Just a year after the town of Villanueva de la Concepcion was given its own independent status, its mayor has been arrested in a bribery and corruption scandal.
The young leader Ernesto Jose Silva, 27, was arrested along with three others over a planning scandal that is said to include payments in return for licences.
Prosecutors confirmed that the four – including a professor at Malaga University – were being accused of bribery, corruption and trafficking of influences.
The town was only given independence from nearby Antequera in March 2009.
Initially Silva (pictured right), who represents the indepdent Foro Andaluz party, claimed that the investigation was to do with the previous administration.
Seprona, the Guardia Civil’s environmental arm however insisted it involved him, after it searched the offices of the Town Hall.
Councillors and all other workers were denied access as the search went on.
Later, professor Juan Hurtado, who works in the Law Department, of Malaga University was dramatically led away in handcuffs.He was reported to have been helping the town hall in some legal matters.
Town hall architect and another councillor Jose Conejo were also arrested.
the problem is that it is almost tradition to be corrupt when becoming a mayor in Andalucia. Still the andaluzes need a long way to go before they understand the becoming a mayor means working for the community and NOT for only you , your family.
no surprises there ,are all mayors corrupt ,if so let me know how I can do it
i think the guy looks honest and hope he gets found not guilty i read the story properly and stand by him .
Seems like the equation ‘Spanish politician = corrupt’ has some sort of influx over our lovely expats.
I t’s hard to say this without appearing to be rude Frank BUT if you sincerely mean what you say in your comments then you are an IDIOT! Prior to AUTONOMY, when each Province was under the watchful eye and control of Central Government it was very difficult for these high levels of corruptions involving Mayors, Town Planners, Councillors, etc to take place without coming to notice even in Andalucia. But then there was also a Regional Government that was itself lawful and of a high standard unlike the one in Seville today who appear to notice NOT very much as when Chaves was in charge and it hasn’t improved with his successor? Andalucia WAS, IS AND UNLESS SOMETHING RUTHLESS IS DONE ALWAYS WILL BE ‘DIFFERENT’ AND MORE UN-LAWFUL than the rest of Spain.
obviously guilty before trial, so lets wait for the outcome as most of comments are from expats, you all live here legally and pay your workers contracts tax etc because most the british i have worked for don’t and are often claiming some sort of illegal payment in the uk have uk doctors so that’s fraud.
Franc, don’t be silly. It is perfectly legal to have a UK doctor and a Spanish doctor – I have both and am not carrying out a fraud. The only fraud being carried out is by most of the Spanish workforce, who demand cash and then sign on the dole at the same time. Expats are the most legal people in Spain!