NINETY-FIVE PEOPLE, including two former mayors, have gone on trial in Spain’s biggest-ever corruption trial.

The defendants are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for approving planning permission for properties in the popular Mediterranean resort town Marbella.

Just one defendant has been jailed while awaiting trial – the alleged mastermind behind the plan, Juan Antonio Roca, AP reports.

Roca is alleged to have built up a fortune of €245m in bribes during his tenure as Marbella’s urban planner, according to Euronews.

Al Jazeera reports that the story first broke in early 2006 and led to Marbella’s council being dispanded and temporarily replaced with auditors until local elections in 2007.

The defendants have also been charged with misusing public funds and money-laundering and they face between 10 and 30 years in prison if found guilty. The trial opened yesterday and is expected to last up to a year.

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Spain's biggest corruption trial opens over alleged planning scam

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.