Malaga Provincial Court Acquits Triple A Animal Shelter Officials
In a recent development, the provincial court of Malaga has cleared officials from the Triple A animal shelter in Marbella of all charges. The prosecution had previously demanded a prison sentence for the accused, alleging them of various crimes including animal cruelty, falsification of documents, unqualified practice, misappropriation, incorrect administration, violation of workers’ rights, and Social Security fraud.
Verdict Not Final, Appeal Possible
Despite the acquittal, the judgement is not final. The court has stated that an appeal against the verdict can be lodged. The prosecutor in charge had demanded severe punishments for the accused in his final statement. He sought an 18-year prison sentence for Triple A’s former president and a 10-year sentence for the vice-president, along with other fines and civil liabilities.
Allegations of Unjustified Animal Sacrifice
The complaint brought to the court alleged that the shelter had been involved in the massive and unjustified sacrifice of domestic animals. The sole purpose of this was reportedly to cut costs and use part of the shelter for private purposes, with the ultimate aim of making a profit.
Acquittal Due to Lack of Evidence
The court’s verdict was based on the ‘in dubio pro reo’ principle. This principle justifies acquittal when there is a total lack of evidence or when the produced evidence does not meet the procedural guarantees. The court found that in this case, there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations made against the Triple A animal shelter officials.
