Matas fights his corner in court

FORMER Balearic President Jaume Matas fought his corner in court yesterday claiming that the increase in his income came from a family inheritance and denied that he was the owner of a luxury apartment in Madrid.

Matas was questioned at length yesterday by a Palma judge over allegations that public funds were misused during his time in office from 2003 until 2007.

His lawyer has also called for recorded telephone conversations be dismissed because they breached privacy laws. Matas, his wife, her brother, and former Balearic government minister, Bartomeu Reus, are being questioned by a Palma judge this week over allegations that public funds may have been misused. On Monday, the court proceedings were suspended following an appeal from the defense lawyers after taped telephone conversations between the suspects and their lawyers were entered as evidence by the prosecution.