Prosecutors had set a court hearing to former Baja California Governor Jaime Bonilla, whom during the campaign promised to send his predecessor to prison, according to media reports.

Governor Marina Avila said her predecessor, along with several other former state officials have been cited for their involvement in the solar plant contract to provide energy to the Tijuana aqueduct.

Bonilla, a former congressman who was deposed by court order as Senator after retaking his seat, will appear in court on Aug. 15, La Crónica newspaper reported.

The ex-governor, along with several other state officials, approved a contract with Next Energy to build a solar plant — expected to become the largest in Latin America — to provide energy to the aqueduct.

However, the $600 million plant project was cancelled as the company was unable to obtain city and federal permits.

The contract included features that allowed the company through a bank to still charge and collect funds from the state regardless that the plant was not operational.

Recently, Next Energy announced the contract’s cancellation and the reimbursement of 123 million pesos or $6 million in collected funds to the state. The state was forced to file complaints with the Mexican courts in order to get those funds back.

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