Laurence Dollimore
A MALAGA judge has cleared multiple members of the Triple A charity of all animal abuse charges.
Five workers from the Marbella animal sanctuary, including the president, had been accused of killing dogs and cats for profit and misappropriating funds, among other claims.
Following a years-long probs, the Provincial Court of Malaga has squashed the case, citing a lack of evidence. The decision can be appealed.
Triple A said in a statement that the judgement ‘puts an end to nine years of ordeal, public scorn and unfair public judgement, for five innocent people who were falsely accused.’
The saga began on April 11, 2016, when SEPRONA, the environmental arm of the Guardia Civil, raided the sanctuary and made multiple arrests.
Based on complaints by several former workers, an investigation was launched into the charity’s activities between 2011 and 2015.
The case was brought forward by the Court of Instruction of Marbella, headed by Gonzalo Dívar.
The trial was finally held at the Provincial Court of Malaga between May and October 2024.
The 68-page sentence, dated February 17, 2025, acquits all five of the accused, including German president Bettina.
They were accused of belonging to a criminal group, animal abuse, intrusion, misappropriation, document falsification, fraud and violating workers’ rights.
The Prosecutor’s Office had initially requested more than 20 years in prison for both the president and vice president, plus fines, disqualifications and compensation.
Both they and the other three defendants have now been exonerated of all charges, although the ruling is not final and can be appealed before the High Court of Justice of Andalucia.
The court found that animals were not sent abroad outside of legal deadlines, as had been claimed.
It was also not proven that the association ‘had simultaneously given employment to 50% or more of the workers without notifying their registration in the Social Security system.’
Likewise, it could not be proven that the accused persons falsified a veterinarian’s signature on prescriptions, nor that they falsified passports of Triple A animals.
The main part of the case was the alleged sacrificing of animals for profit. The court ruled that there was ‘an absolute lack of evidence’ or ‘not enough’ to warrant conviction.
Elsewhere, no evidence was found that mass castrations of cats were carried out by untrained persons.
The court also ruled out recklessness or bad faith in the actions of the private and popular prosecutions.
Triple A added: “We must say that we have not felt alone or abandoned like so many animals that we care for out of true vocational love; all our families and friends have supported us during these nine years, the vast majority of members have supported us year after year, as well as the vast majority of workers and volunteers, direct witnesses of what really happened in the day-to-day life of the Association, who have come to the trial to tell the true facts.
“We thank all of them for their support, especially the witnesses who were initially deceived and have had the courage to admit it and tell the truth before the Court. We would like to sincerely thank the work carried out by the defence lawyers Mr Francisco José Ruiz Recio, Mr Jesús María Orellana Lozano, Ms Marina Fernández Sánchez and Mr Francisco Javier Lara Peláez, which we understand has been decisive in obtaining this outcome.
“And our sincere thanks to the Local Administration, the Marbella Town Hall who, knowing us and knowing how hard we work at the service of the animals, we have always felt them to be with us and with all the associates of Triple A, they have helped us and have supported and assisted us from the outset and until the conclusion of the whole procedure.”
