Marcos Benavent, a former public company manager, claims he was under the influence of drugs and did not recall his accusations during a corruption trial involving contract rigging in Valencia.
Marcos Benavent, known as 'the money junkie', appeared in court regarding allegations of corruption linked to contract rigging in the City Council of Valencia during a trial. He stated that he did not wish to reaffirm his previous allegations because he was not in a fit state to testify, having often been 'physically impaired' and under the influence of marijuana at the time of his earlier declarations.
The case, which focuses on questionable contracts awarded by the Culture department of Valencia's local government between 2003 and 2008, is part of a larger investigation into improprieties within public institutions governed by the People's Party (PP) during their tenure in the early 2000s. Benavent's defense strategy is raising eyebrows, as it casts doubt on the credibility of his past statements, which could have significant implications for the ongoing case against other officials involved.
As the trial progresses, the outcome will not only impact Benavent’s legal fate but could also affect public trust in the political institutions implicated in the corruption scandal. The responses from both the prosecution and defense will be crucial in determining whether the lack of reaffirmation will sway judicial opinions and possibly influence future guidelines on the reliability of witness testimony, particularly in cases involving substance influence.
