MADRID: A Spanish court has ordered the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Begona Gomez, to stand trial by jury for corruption and banned her from leaving the country, according to a court order released on Saturday. The case is one of several corruption affairs that have embroiled the Socialist leader's family and former allies, threatening to topple his minority coalition government.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered Gomez to hand in her passport and to appear before the court twice a month until a verdict is reached in the case. The court said, "Instructions shall be issued to all border posts and civilian and military airports" to ensure Gomez complies with the ban on leaving the country. No date for the politically explosive trial has been set.
Peinado formally charged Gomez with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds. He opened the investigation in April 2024 to determine whether Gomez had exploited her position as Sanchez's wife for private gain, which she and the prime minister deny. — AFP
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