Investigating judge Miguel Angel Torres heard how José Ávila Rojas the owner of five construction companies paid the alleged mastermind behind Marbella council corruption 150,000 euros in exchange for the licenses in and around the Costa del Sol resort.
The builder added he was “obliged” to pay because the houses “were already built and bought.”
“People were close to moving in to their homes,” he said.
Ávila Rojas, who was charged with bribery following his arrest in June last year, told the court he was convinced he would not have received the licenses had he not paid the money.
“Roca asked for the money for favourable council decisions and because he was insatiable and always wanted more and more,” he said according to reports.
Torres believes Roca “bought and controlled” Marbella councillors with part of the money he received from housing developers.
The rest of the money went towards the 120-million-euro fortune Roca had amassed in his 15 years in charge of the town’s urban planning department.