Spanish court bans PM’s wife from leaving country

A Spanish court has ordered the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Begona Gomez, to stand trial by jury for corruption and banned her from leaving the country, according to a court order released on Saturday.

The case is one of several corruption affairs that have embroiled the Socialist leader’s family and former allies, threatening to topple his minority coalition government.

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered Gomez to hand in her passport and to appear before the court twice a month until a verdict is reached in the case, the ruling said.

The court said “instructions shall be issued to all border posts and civilian and military airports” to ensure Gomez complies with the ban on leaving the country.

No date for the politically explosive trial has been set.

Peinado in April formally charged Gomez with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds.