27 December 2007

Pardon or justice?

The State President has received a request for pardon from Giuseppe Lipera, attorney for Bruno Contrada, the former manager of Sisde who was finally sentenced to ten years for collusion with the mafia. The request was motivated by Contrada’s current state of health.

An unacceptable request, as highlighted by the Head of State himself, who deemed it necessary to explain that: “It is a well known fact that any provision concerning a deferment of a penalty, based on the state of health of the person paying such penalty in prison, falls within the jurisdiction of the overseeing Magistrature”. Bruno Contrada has, to date, only served seven months of his jail sentence at Santa Maria Capua Vetere and, given that a pardon and the man’s state of health are two entirely different matters, should the competent magistrature see fit, the necessary measures could be taken for Contrada to be admitted to hospital. Pardon for a State Official who has been sentenced for mafia activities cannot be construed as “something due” to him, as stated by the Justice Minister, since there are no grounds for such pardon, and the man himself has not expressed any regret whatsoever, nor has he collaborated fully with the magistrature.
Court sentences must be respected and Contrada’s age does not constitute sufficient justification for making him out to be a victim.
Should the family wish to do so, they can request a review of the proceedings, but a pardon cannot be used as a short cut in order to escape a conviction for collusion with the mafia.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Justice