The Office Antifraud of Catalonia (OAC) will analyze whether the procedures during the competition that resulted in the hiring of Guinadell Orriols as a local police officer in Ripoll were carried out correctly. The mother of the hired individual, Sílvia Orriols, is the current mayor of the town and leader of Aliança Catalana.
Recently, Sílvia Orriols denied any influence in the selection process, stating that the controversy generated was intended to discredit her. The complaint has been admitted for processing, and Antifraud will have three months to study the case, with the ability to request information and documentation from the Ripoll City Council.
Once the analysis is complete, Antifraud will decide whether to investigate possible administrative irregularities or, if it finds indications of a crime, forward the case to the Public Prosecutor's Office. Orriols' elder daughter was hired as an interim local police officer in July, following an urgent selection process.
Orriols explained that her daughter ranked among the last five candidates and was selected after a "personal interview." The call for applications establishes the obligation for public officials to recuse themselves from selection processes involving direct family members. Although the documents do not bear the mayor's signature, they do indicate that she was the one who chose the selection tribunal.
Politically, the PSC has labeled the case as nepotism, while Junts has requested that the municipality's security responsibilities be transferred to another councilor.
