The Granada Investigation Court Grants Pre-trial Detention Without Bail in Abduction Case
The Fifth Investigation Court of Granada, currently on duty, ordered pre-trial detention without bail this Friday for the man described as a sentimental partner of the Granada-Maracena mayor, Berta Linares. He is alleged to be responsible for the disappearance of Vanessa Romero, a councilor from the government team.
Luis Molina, the detained man’s lawyer, told EFE that his client invoked his constitutional right to refuse to testify before both the Civil Guard and the judicial authorities.
The court coroner also filed a report about the detainee’s condition, though its contents remain unknown since the trial was declared secret.
The lawyer stated that his client was described as “relatively calm” and continued to take his prescribed medications.
According to EFE, the defense plans to appeal the detention on Monday and request a transfer to the prison in Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga province, where his family resides.
Incidents unfolded this Tuesday in the Maracena 2030 region. Romero, who previously served as a councilor for Urbanism, was abducted after taking her children to school in the neighboring town of Atarfe. It is reported that the mayor’s emotional partner approached Romero and allegedly asked her to drive him to a gas station.
Authorities say the person who entered the car produced a gun, threatened the councilor, and forced her into the trunk of the vehicle. The car was later abandoned with the councilor inside somewhere on Calle Descubrimiento in the nearby town of Armilla.
A few hours later, Romero managed to free herself from the trunk by pushing through the rear seats and fleeing the scene. She then reported the incident to the Civil Guard, and investigators noted that the abduction appeared to compromise information related to municipal governance.
In a press conference held just 24 hours after the abduction, the mayor announced that he would not continue his relationship with the detainee. He also ruled out any immediate connection to a corruption case and highlighted personal struggles related to mental health experienced by his former partner, Pedro G., who resided in Málaga and had no police record.