Spanish court orders remand in jail for former minister

Spain's Supreme Court ordered prison on remand for former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos on Thursday, who is implicated in one of the corruption scandals dogging the leftist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

In a writ seen by Reuters, the court said Abalos, who also was a senior official in the ruling Socialist Party, should be held in pre-trial detention due to flight risk.

Last week, anti-graft prosecutors said they were seeking 24 years' imprisonment for Abalos.

Abalos is accused - along with his aide Koldo Garcia and a businessman - of rigging public contracts for medical supplies such as face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was a cabinet member.

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Abalos and Garcia have denied any wrongdoing.