"This trial shouldn't have even begun." A clash occurred today in court in Sassari over the case involving nine defendants, including Tonino Becciu , brother of Cardinal Angelo, and Corrado Melis, bishop of Ozieri . They are accused, along with four others, of diverting 8 per thousand funds from the Ozieri diocese to the Spes cooperative, of which Tonino is president, between 2013 and 2016.
The defendants' lawyers, Ivano Iai and Antonello Patané, have submitted a brief that, in their view, could put an end to the trial. They refer to the Supreme Court ruling of August 26, in which the Joint Sections ruled on whether bishops are public officials under our legal system for the expenditure of 8 per thousand funds and, consequently, whether dioceses are public administrations.
They also ruled on whether, in matters of embezzlement and other crimes, Italian courts lack jurisdiction over the affairs of the Catholic Church. " The Court has held that the jurisdictional power of the State is excluded . Therefore, bishops are not public officials," summarizes the ruling of the IAI Supreme Court, "and are accountable only to the Catholic Church, not to the Italian State. The lack of jurisdiction extends to all jurisdictional powers of the State, not just accounting, but also civil, administrative, and criminal matters. It also extends to this court, and we have requested a ruling that proceedings should not be taken for lack of jurisdiction."
«This means – he adds – that the trial should not even have started , it should not even have been registered, that no investigations should have been carried out, nor should there have been a referral to trial, nor should witnesses have been questioned, as happened».
Prosecutor Gianni Caria has requested a pause for reflection , and the panel, currently chaired by Monia Adami and expected to be reconvened shortly, has adjourned the hearing to the next one in February. "We hope for complete closure on a matter that has brought nothing but pain to the local community, as well as to the bishop, priests, and laypeople involved," IAI concludes.