The morning in Madrid began with unexpected activity at the gates of Soto del Real prison. Officers from the Guardia Civil escorted Koldo García, former advisor to the Minister of Transport, from his cell and accompanied him to the Audiencia Nacional courthouse. This was more than a mere formality: García, who was arrested last November along with former minister José Luis Ábalos, was required to appear in person to receive copies of data from some of his electronic devices seized at the time of his arrest.
García received copies of the contents from four mobile phones—three iPhones and a Huawei—as well as a tablet and a laptop. Nearly thirty devices were confiscated from him in total, but only a small portion was addressed today. The most contentious items—audio recordings from a digital voice recorder that García had used to secretly tape conversations—were not returned. The investigating judge, Ismael Moreno, insisted that only García’s personal presence would allow him to receive these copies. After a brief meeting with his lawyer, Leticia de la Hoz, García handed her the hard drive with the data and returned to his prison cell.
Questions for the investigation
Lawyer García does not hide her indignation. She has already announced her intention to seek an independent review of all obtained materials to rule out the possibility of forgery or manipulation. According to her, the situation with access to evidence leaves her client completely unprotected. Meanwhile, accusations from the Central Operative Unit (Unidad Central Operativa, UCO) and the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office are growing louder: García is considered a key figure in a scheme for obtaining illegal commissions from public contracts.
A cloud of distrust is gathering around the case. The lawyer categorically denies all allegations, insisting on the transparency and legality of her client’s actions. She claims the investigation is based on assumptions, not actual evidence. However, investigators are convinced García was the link between officials and private companies that secured lucrative contracts.
Family Testimonies
A surprising twist came with the recent statement before the judge by García’s former partner, Patricia Uriz. She categorically denied suggestions of illicit enrichment by the couple. According to her, all funds they controlled were acquired legally and had transparent origins. Uriz emphasized that neither she nor García engaged in any financial wrongdoing.
These statements have added even more uncertainty to an already convoluted case. Investigators continue to seek evidence supporting their suspicions, while the defense insists on García’s complete innocence. The question of whether any laws were actually broken remains unresolved.
Техника под подозрением
The story with the return of devices and data copies became yet another episode in the ongoing procedural battles between the defense and investigators. García’s lawyer fears that the equipment might have been tampered with during storage. She demands that independent experts verify the integrity of the information and confirm its authenticity.
At the same time, investigators are in no hurry to reveal their hand. They continue to analyze dozens of other devices seized from García, hoping to uncover new evidence. Their focus is on correspondence, audio recordings, and documents that could shed light on the government contract distribution scheme.
Next Steps
While García remains behind bars, his lawyer is preparing new motions and statements. In the coming weeks, a series of expert examinations and interrogations is expected, which may change the course of the investigation. Whether the defense will be able to prove García’s innocence remains unanswered.
The case is gaining increasing public attention. Each new development sparks intense debate in political and legal circles. At the center of the spotlight is not only García’s fate, but also the transparency of government institutions. Spanish society is closely following the situation, awaiting new details and unexpected twists.
