Roldán, Luis

b. 1943, Zaragoza

   Police commander

   Roldán was the first civilian ever appointed as head of the Civil Guard. He served as Director-General of this formerly militarized police force from 1986 to 1993, and his appointment was seen as an attempt to bring to a close the troubled history of the Civil Guard, a force much associated with the Franco dictatorship. However, suspicions of corruption forced his resignation. In 1994, following lengthy investigations, criminal charges, including perverting the course of justice, defraud-ing the treasury, and embezzling public funds, were brought against him. Though detained, he succeeded in evading police custody and became a fugitive from justice, before finally being detained in Thailand in February 1995. His escape from Spain and subsequent exile prompted the resignations of one serving and two former government ministers. He stood trial in July 1995, together with his wife, an ex-lover, and his former second-in-command, Manuel Llaneras.

   PAUL HEYWOOD