LOCAL POLICE officer has testified in court that the former mayor of Marbella, Marisol Yague, asked him to lift a fine for drunk driving in August 2005.

In his testimony, the police officer claims Yague called him on his personal mobile phone to ask him if he could “do anything” for a nephew of journalist Jose Maria Garcia, who had been charged with drunk driving. He claims to have responded that he “could call him a taxi”, because he had already finished writing out his report. He claims the journalist also called him, which surprised him and led him to ask about the case several months later, when he was told that the report was still at the station and the trial had been cancelled.

The former lady mayor, who is also charged in the Malaya case, was in court this week and denied the charges. The prosecutor is asking for nine months ban from holding public office for failing to pursue crime. Four members of the local police are also on trial, including the former chief, Rafael del Pozo who faces three years in prison, seven years suspension and a fine of €13,500.

All five are accused of hiding this report and two others and not passing them on to the courts.