Madrid, July 31 (FN Agency) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez used his right not to testify in a case against his wife, Begona Gomez, suspected of alleged influence peddling and business corruption, the RTVE TV channel reported on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Sanchez was invited to court to testify as Gomez’s husband but not as the prime minister, which enabled him to avoid testifying, according to the TV channel. The prime minister also reportedly filed a complaint with judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who is in charge of the investigation against his wife. He thinks that the judge does not have any evidence to support the investigation.
The filing of the complaint was confirmed by the government’s press secretary. Sanchez had sent a letter to the court expressing his readiness to cooperate with judicial agencies but noted that his declarations “must be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 412.2 of the Criminal Procedure Act.” He also said the prime minister’s testimony must be considered in written format, which was denied by the judge. The case was opened after a complaint from the Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) activist group, which appeared to rely on information from the media. The prosecutor’s office in Madrid appealed the filing and demanded to stop the investigation, but the Spanish court denied it.