By Richard Torné
The right-wing mayor of El Ejido is to go on trial on charges of corruption after he allegedly made important financial gains by buying a 32,000-square metre plot on rural land which was later reclassified as urban.
Mayor Francisco Góngora, from the Partido Popular party, reportedly bought the plot in June 2000 with his brother, father and a business associate via a company they set up, called Agrícola Euro Alpujarra. In April 2004 part of the land was reclassified as urban by the council. The same month the 32,000-square metre plot was sold to a construction firm for €1.5 million.
Góngora is facing charges of document forgery and tax fraud, and could face up to four years in jail and a €1.2m fine if found guilty.
