Ex-Italian premier Berlusconi’s acquittal upheld

The high court has confirmed Silvio Berlusconi’s acquittal on charges he paid for sex with an underage prostitute during raunchy parties at his Milan villa, and used his influence to cover it up.

ROME // Italy’s highest court has upheld Silvio Berlusconi’s acquittal in his infamous “bunga bunga” case, giving the former prime minister a welcome legal victory as he tries to rally his Forza Italia party ahead of regional elections in May.

The court of cassation late on Tuesday rejected prosecutors’ appeal and confirmed Mr Berlusconi’s acquittal on charges he paid for sex with an underage prostitute during raunchy parties at his Milan villa, and used his influence to cover it up.

A lower court had convicted the three-time former premier of both charges, and sentenced him to seven years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office.

But an appeals court reversed the verdict last year – a decision that was confirmed by the cassation court on Tuesday.

The high court, which deliberated for more than nine hours before releasing its decision just before midnight, will issue its written ruling detailing its reasoning within 90 days.

“It’s a great success,” said defence attorney Michaela Andresano. “The court accepted our arguments and rejected the prosecutors’ appeal.”

Prosecutors had alleged that Mr Berlusconi paid Karima El Mahroug, better known as Ruby, for sex while she was a minor and then intervened in 2010 to have her released when she was picked up by police on suspicion of theft.

Both Mr Berlusconi and Ms El Mahroug, who was 17 at the time, denied ever having had sex.

Mr Berlusconi has long maintained his legal woes were the result of left-leaning judges.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Eduardo Scardaccione had argued there was no way Mr Berlusconi did not know Ms El Mahroug’s age.

He charged that a police official “couldn’t resist the pressure” to release the girl after Mr Berlusconi called him at home near midnight after she had been detained.

Lead defence attorney Franco Coppi argued there was no proof Mr Berlusconi knew Ms El Mahroug’s age and that Mr Berlusconi’s call to the police official contained no threats, “explicit or implicit”.

Mr Berlusconi last week completed his community service stint for a tax fraud conviction that also cost him his seat in parliament.

Despite the high court victory, Mr Berlusconi’s legal woes are not over.

Milan prosecutors are also investigating him for allegedly paying off witnesses in the “bunga-bunga” case, and he is still on trial in Naples for alleged political corruption.

Mr Berlusconi’s political standing has waned due to divisions inside his Forza Italia party and judicial cases involving his personal life and business interests. He has announced that his Forza Italia party may no longer back prime minister Matteo Renzi’s reforms.

Instead, he is seeking to forge a new alliance with the Northern League of Matteo Salvini, which campaigns on an anti-euro, anti-immigration platform.

* Associated Press and Bloomberg