The trial opened today in Sassari court, involving nine defendants, including Tonino Becciu, brother of Cardinal Angelo, and Corrado Melis, bishop of Ozieri.
The charges are for diverting 8 per thousand tax funds from 2013 to 2016 from the diocese of Ozieri to the Spes cooperative, of which Becciu is president. The relative of the high prelate is accused of embezzlement and money laundering, along with the bishop of Ozieri, Father Mario Curzu, director of the Diocesan Caritas of Ozieri, Father Francesco Ledda, treasurer of the Ozieri diocese, Giovanna Pani, deputy director of Caritas and a member of the Spes cooperative, and Maria Luisa Zambrano, the latter's daughter. Franco Demontis, Luca Saba, and Roberto Arcadu are accused of aiding and abetting, and the third is also accused of providing false information to the public prosecutor.
At today's hearing, the parties' witness list was filed: 35 for prosecutor Gianni Caria, 19 for attorney Ivano Iai, and 40 for lawyer Antonello Patané. These include Undersecretary of State Alfredo Mantovano and jurist Raffaele Coppola, who, from 2013 to 2019, served as Attorney General of the Court of Appeal of the Vatican City State.
The prosecution objected to the testimony of these two figures, requested by IAI. The panel, chaired by Giancosimo Mura, with Monia Adami and Sara Pelicci as associates, asked the parties to limit the list of witnesses and adjourned the hearing to September 17th, where three prosecution witnesses will be heard.