The National Court has sentenced Joakim Broberg, step-son of Marbella's mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, to nine years in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering. The defence has announced they will appeal the verdict.
The National Court has issued a ruling against Joakim Broberg, step-son of Marbella's mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, imposing a nine-year prison sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering offences. The court considers him part of an international network that transported marijuana and hashish from Morocco to Sweden between 2019 and 2020.
The ruling, made public this Monday, affects 21 of the 24 defendants in the case, with sentences ranging from two to 16 years in prison. Among those convicted are citizens from Sweden, Poland, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Macedonia. According to the ruling, all of them were part of a structure dedicated to the transportation and distribution of drugs and the laundering of the profits obtained.
The defence announces appeal and speaks of political motivations
Broberg's lawyer, Sylvia Córdoba, has confirmed that they will appeal the sentence. In statements to this newspaper, the lawyer asserted that the drug trafficking charge is “forced” and that the evidence is insufficient to prove her client's connection to the alleged mafia. “The prosecutor did not ask Joakim,” Córdoba pointed out, highlighting that her client was willing to testify from the outset and that it is unusual for the prosecution to choose not to ask questions.
Broberg, who broke his silence after the verdict in an interview, insists that the process has had “political motivations” and denies any involvement in a criminal network. “We are already preparing an appeal that I am sure we will win,” he stated, while criticising the prosecution for initially requesting 18 years in prison and a fine of 30 million euros. The court ultimately reduced the sentence to nine years and a 4.9 million euro fine for failing to establish his membership in a criminal organisation.
A case with political ramifications in Marbella
The case has had a strong impact on local politics in Marbella, as mayor Ángeles Muñoz of the Popular Party has seen her family environment embroiled in drug trafficking. Joakim's father, Lars Gunnar Sune Broberg, the mayor's husband, was also investigated for allegedly laundering 6.3 million euros, but the case against him was shelved due to his delicate health, and he passed away before the trial could take place.
The Swedish businessman recounts that he was arrested in Brazil, where he claims he was residing due to the pandemic, and reports irregularities in the extradition process. The sentence is not yet final, and Broberg remains on bail. He insists that his situation “has been used to try to politically harm Ángeles Muñoz.”
For the residents of Marbella, this case represents a new episode in the city's relationship with drug trafficking, a problem that has affected the Costa del Sol in recent years. The mayor has not yet commented on the sentence, but municipal sources state that the Town Hall respects judicial decisions.
Broberg's defence is already preparing the appeal before the Criminal Chamber of the National Court and does not rule out reaching the Supreme Court if necessary. Meanwhile, the convicted individual remains on bail awaiting the resolution of his appeal.
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