The court of the National Court that sentenced Jose Manuel Villarejo to 19 years in prison for three of his private commissions has agreed to release the retired commissioner with precautionary measures against the criteria of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Officewho had requested his entry into jail.
In an order, collected by Europa Press, the Criminal Chamber imposes on Villarejo and his partner, Rafael Redondo, the obligation to appear in the court of his domicile every fortnight and also before the National Court whenever they are required. In addition, it prohibits them from leaving the national territory, withdraws their passports and requires them to notify them of any change of address.
The magistrates consider that the existence of a high sentence is not only required to agree to imprisonment, since this must be accompanied by adverse circumstances that show a risk of escape.
In this sense, they point out that Villarejo was in prison from November 3, 2017 to February 10, 2020, that He has responded to all judicial appeals and has appeared at all trial sessions except those in which his absence was authorized. They also recall that he went to the Court Secretariat without delay to be notified of the sentence despite the fact that he was aware of the conviction.
The Court explains that Villarejo has been sentenced to 19 years in prison, but it was not by virtue of an extremely serious crime deserving of such a severe sanction, but that this sentence results from the addition of sentences imposed for crimes of concealment and disclosure of company and private secrets (four) and false commercial documents (two).