A National Police officer stationed in the Canary Islands has been suspended for 90 days without pay after being found guilty of offering to speed up asylum applications in exchange for sexual favours.
The ruling found that the officer abused his position while on duty in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria between August and November 2021.
According to court documents, the officer approached young North African migrants, some of whom were minors in care, on the streets. After identifying himself as a police officer, he allegedly offered to help with their asylum cases if they agreed to meet him at his hotel room.
During these meetings, which typically lasted around 45 minutes, the migrants left carrying bags of clothes, soft drinks, and, in some cases, cash, none of which they had with them when they arrived.
The National Police’s Internal Affairs Unit had placed the officer under surveillance after receiving reports of misconduct. Investigators gathered evidence confirming that the officer had initiated contact with migrants on the same day their asylum applications were opened, directly linking his personal meetings to the official immigration process.
The court also heard that, while assigned to the Canary Islands, the officer deliberately stayed in hotels separate from his colleagues, requesting private rooms with direct access to avoid being monitored by reception.
Several migrants gave consistent testimonies describing how the officer greeted them in his hotel room while wearing only underwear, encouraged them to stay overnight, and conducted no official paperwork or procedures during their visits.
The court said the officer used his job for personal gain, taking advantage of vulnerable migrants and ignoring official procedures.
The court rejected the officer’s appeal, saying the evidence was clear. It also dismissed his claim that his rights had been violated and confirmed the 90 day suspension was fair given how serious the case was.
