Spain PM's wife to testify before judge in graft probe

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's wife testifies before a judge Friday as part of a preliminary corruption probe into her business ties, two weeks after the initial hearing was suspended.

The investigation into Begona Gomez over alleged corruption and influence peddling has infuriated Sanchez, who has insisted there is "absolutely nothing" in the allegations which amount to little more than a smear campaign aimed at undermining him and his left-wing government.

Although Gomez attended court on July 5 to testify in a closed session before judge Juan Carlos Peinado, the hearing was suspended within minutes after her lawyer said they had "not been notified" about all the complaints against her and asked for time to study them.

The hearing was rescheduled for Friday when Gomez will appear at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) before Peinado in a highly-anticipated hearing as the right-wing ramps up its attacks on the government over the matter.

The investigation was opened on April 16 following a complaint by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an anti-graft NGO linked to the far-right, which alleged corruption in the private sector and influence peddling, while admitting its claims were based on media reports.

A second complaint was filed by Hazte Oir (Make Yourself Heard) -- an ultra-Catholic pressure group linked to the far-right -- also alleging influence peddling.

Gomez, who has worked in fundraising for years, notably for foundations and NGOs, is suspected of using Sanchez's position as leverage within her professional circles, notably with a businessman and consultant called Juan Carlos Barrabes who received public funding.

- 'Nothing unusual' -

Testifying before the judge on Monday, Barrabes -- who teaches part of a master's course at Madrid's Complutense University that is run by Gomez -- admitted meeting with her five or six times at Moncloa, the official residence of the Spanish premier.

Sanchez was also present at two of those meetings, he said.

The businessmen -- who got two letters of recommendation from Gomez before pitching for a public tender worth several million euros -- said such meetings only touched on matters of innovation, judicial sources said.

"There is absolutely nothing" unusual in such meetings, said Socialist Party spokeswoman Esther Pena, saying it was normal for Sanchez "to meet businessmen, cultural bodies or institutions".

The same view was taken by Guardia Civil police investigators who presented the court with a new report in early July concluding there were no irregularities on Gomez's part.

The public prosecutor's office also called for the case to be closed for lack of evidence at the end of April.

But Peinado refused, insisting there was "sufficient" evidence to justify continuing the probe.

- An anti-disinformation plan -

The case has provoked a growing chorus of criticism from the right-wing opposition.

"It is neither ethical nor acceptable for Moncloa to sign letters of recommendation for companies wanting to receive public money," opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said in parliament on Wednesday, accusing Sanchez of being on edge over Friday's hearing.

Feijoo, head of the right-wing Popular Party (PP), once again urged Sanchez to resign.

When news of the probe broke in April, Sanchez shocked Spain by saying he was considering resigning over what he described as a campaign of political harassment by the right. He ultimately decided to stay on.

Gomez, 49, has not spoken publicly on the case but Sanchez has decried it as a political bid to "harass and discredit" him by "media heavily influenced by the right and far-right".

On Wednesday, he unveiled a plan for "democratic regeneration" aimed at fighting disinformation, sparking fierce opposition from the right.

Gomez did not want to give up her career when her husband became premier in 2018 and has retained a very low public profile. She does not hold public office.