Political corruption brings Berlusconi back to court
12 Feb 2014 6:04 AM IST
The trial is the third ongoing case against Berlusconi, who is appealing a prison sentence for having sex with an underage 17-year-old prostitute and abuse of office and another for leaking a confidential police wiretap.
The 77-year-old billionaire tycoon last year was also convicted for tax fraud - his first ever definitive conviction - and has been ejected from the Italian Senate and lost his parliamentary immunity.
Berlusconi, who regularly protests his innocence by accusing prosecutors of engineering a left-wing political plot against him, was not at the hearing and is not obliged to attend under Italian law.
He is accused of giving 3.0 million euros ($4.1 million) in 2006 to Sergio De Gregorio, then a senator from the anti-corruption Italy of Values party, to join his People of Freedom party and help undermine the centre-left government in power at the time.
A former Berlusconi aide, Valter Lavitola, is also on trial for being the alleged intermediary for the bribe.
The trial is being held in Naples as it was the seat occupied by De Gregorio, who is working with investigators.
Among the issues on the table at the first hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday will be a request from Senate speaker Pietro Grasso to be considered a plaintiff in the trial - a move that has proved hugely controversial among Berlusconi’s supporters.
A new judge is also due to be named as the current one has declared a conflict of interests - she is married to a prosecutor who worked in the trial against Berlusconi for underage sex and abuse of office. The list of witnesses for the trial includes former prime minister and former European Commission president Romano Prodi, as well as two former senators expected to say they were offered bribe money by Berlusconi.
De Gregorio has told investigators that he received two million euros in cash and one millions euros for his political movement ‘Italians in the World’.
Berlusconi unrepentant
Berlusconi’s lawyers Michele Cerabona and Niccolo Ghedini are expected to argue that corrupting the senator would have been impossible since every lawmaker can vote freely, whatever their party affiliation.
Berlusconi this year will also be appealing his prostitution and abuse of power convictions, as well as one for leaking a confidential police wiretap in an attempt to damage a centre-left political rival.
The three-time former prime minister was forced out of parliament for the first time in his 20-year political career in November following a tax fraud conviction.
The 77-year-old billionaire tycoon last year was also convicted for tax fraud - his first ever definitive conviction - and has been ejected from the Italian Senate and lost his parliamentary immunity.
Berlusconi, who regularly protests his innocence by accusing prosecutors of engineering a left-wing political plot against him, was not at the hearing and is not obliged to attend under Italian law.
He is accused of giving 3.0 million euros ($4.1 million) in 2006 to Sergio De Gregorio, then a senator from the anti-corruption Italy of Values party, to join his People of Freedom party and help undermine the centre-left government in power at the time.
A former Berlusconi aide, Valter Lavitola, is also on trial for being the alleged intermediary for the bribe.
The trial is being held in Naples as it was the seat occupied by De Gregorio, who is working with investigators.
Among the issues on the table at the first hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday will be a request from Senate speaker Pietro Grasso to be considered a plaintiff in the trial - a move that has proved hugely controversial among Berlusconi’s supporters.
A new judge is also due to be named as the current one has declared a conflict of interests - she is married to a prosecutor who worked in the trial against Berlusconi for underage sex and abuse of office. The list of witnesses for the trial includes former prime minister and former European Commission president Romano Prodi, as well as two former senators expected to say they were offered bribe money by Berlusconi.
De Gregorio has told investigators that he received two million euros in cash and one millions euros for his political movement ‘Italians in the World’.
Berlusconi unrepentant
Berlusconi’s lawyers Michele Cerabona and Niccolo Ghedini are expected to argue that corrupting the senator would have been impossible since every lawmaker can vote freely, whatever their party affiliation.
Berlusconi this year will also be appealing his prostitution and abuse of power convictions, as well as one for leaking a confidential police wiretap in an attempt to damage a centre-left political rival.
The three-time former prime minister was forced out of parliament for the first time in his 20-year political career in November following a tax fraud conviction.
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