Andorra court upholds sentence for Basque businessman over board meeting death threats

The Superior Court of Andorra has dismissed an appeal by a 76-year-old Basque businessman convicted of threatening to kill his former business partner during a board meeting, upholding a sentence of three months of conditional imprisonment, according to Altaveu.

The defence had argued that the evidence heard at trial contained errors and that the death threats were never proven. The magistrates rejected that position, finding the threats sufficiently established, and confirmed the ruling issued at first instance by the Tribunal de Corts.

The dispute stemmed from a relationship breakdown and a disagreement over the dividends of a company, tensions that came to a head at a board meeting that descended into insults and death threats. The convicted businessman has consistently denied making the threats.

Both during the hearing at the Tribunal de Corts and on appeal, his lawyers maintained that no real threats had been demonstrated, let alone repeated ones. They also noted that at the close of the meeting both sides agreed not to record the dispute in the minutes.

The events date back to 2 November 2021. The complainant, who is the ex-husband of the businessman's niece, alleged that he was insulted, threatened with death and nearly assaulted, to the point that a notary present had to step in. The accused acknowledged an argument and a scuffle but denied the death threats.

With the Superior Court's decision, the original sentence stands.