Former Jerez mayor to stand trial for hiring irregularities

Former Jerez Mayor Pilar Sánchez will go on trial for allegedly illegally hiring five members of her Socialist Party between 2005 and 2011, a provincial judge has ordered.

According to the charges, between 2005 and 2011, Sánchez gave two of them contracts for top positions within her administration while the other three received lower-paid jobs.

The judge rejected two petitions from prosecutors to shelve the case, and ordered Sánchez to go on trial to determine whether the five people she hired met the legal requirements to fill those positions.

In her report, Judge Aránzazu Guerra said there were indications that neither of the workers met the requirements and that there were "irregularities" during the hiring process.

The charges against Sánchez include over-extending her official duties, embezzlement of public money, and presenting false documents.

A complaint was filed against Sánchez by one of her predecessors, Pedro Pacheco, who alleged that she had illegally hired 32 people during her tenure. After an investigation, the judge declared that 27 of the appointments were legal - including that of the Socialist mayor's husband - but raised questions concerning five people.

Anti-corruption prosecutors in Cádiz believe the case should be shelved because no crimes were committed in hiring the three lower-rank employees. As for the two top appointees, prosecutors believe that Sánchez, as mayor, has the right to select people to fill positions of trust in her administration.

Pacheco had argued that the positions were filled without the city taking out ads.