Briefing
The Fiscalía Anticorrupción filed an appeal on points of law with the Tribunal Supremo against the acquittals in Section E of the caso Taula . This was reported by Audiencia Provincial de Valencia on 9 September 2026. The appeal concerns the acquittals handed down on 23 June 2026, including those in favour of Marcos Benavent and Vicente Burgos and the businessmen Carlos Turró, Carlos Vicent Gil and Enrique Aleixandre.
The prosecution, represented by Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Fernando Maldonado, alleges two key errors. First, the court is said to have considered the continuing offence of embezzlement of public funds (malversación) time-barred because formal charges for that offence were not brought until 2023. Second, the Sección Quinta of the Audiencia Provincial de Valencia rejected an evidentiary request which the prosecution describes as “essential” and which, in its view, could have rebutted the presumption of innocence.
According to the Fiscalía Anticorrupción, statements made earlier during the investigation shed light on events that, for procedural purposes, fall under the embezzlement charge; it therefore argues that the finding that the offence was time-barred was legally erroneous and that rejecting the evidence had a serious procedural impact. The appeal does not primarily seek a new evidentiary hearing, but a legal review of the interpretation of limitation rules and the admissibility of the evidentiary requests.
The Tribunal Supremo may uphold the judgment, overturn it or refer the case back to the Audiencia Provincial de Valencia for a new decision. Until the Supreme Court rules, the acquittals of 23 June 2026 are not final.
The caso Taula comprises several separate proceedings concerning procurement practices in Valencia; the Section E case now under appeal concerns municipal contracts. The appeal primarily seeks clarification of how limitation periods apply to continuing embezzlement and a review of the procedural decision to reject a witness statement described as essential.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).