Former Baja California Governor Jaime Bonilla, along with eight ex-officials, have been cited by a state judge for an arraignment hearing.

The former officials have been accused for misuse of 12 billion pesos or about $600 million in signing a contract to build a solar plant that never came to fruition.

However, the contract led the company, Next Energy, to get paid every month a sum although the plant never became a reality.

The company received around $6 million from the state through a bank that managed federal funds deposited to the Baja California administration. Even though a Mexican judge ruled the company must return those funds, the state was unable to collect the cash.

Among those cited is former Secretary of Government Amador Rodríguez Lozano.

The state Attorney General’s office said the case was turned to the court system in order to notify the former officials about the investigation.

The state filed the case back in March.

Attorney General Ricardo Iván Carpio said the former officials face charges of peculation, coalition by public servants and corruption. If found guilty, the former officials can serve prison time.

The project sought to produce energy for the Tijuana aqueduct.

The project was cancelled after the city of Mexicali and the Mexican government declined issuing permits.

If officials fail to comply with the citation the judge could issue an arrest warrant. Gov. Bonilla took back his Senate seat, but a regional electoral Court ruled against that. Bonilla plans to file an appeal with the national electoral court.