An Italian court sentenced two Milan prosecutors to eight months in prison on Tuesday. The court found them guilty of failing to file crucial documents in a high-profile international corruption case involving energy group Eni.
The prosecution focused on the actions of Fabio De Pasquale and Sergio Spadaro. Both prosecutors were deemed to have a legal obligation to submit documents that could have supported Eni’s defense in the case.
Despite the prosecutors’ shortcomings, a Milan court acquitted Eni, Shell, and all defendants in March 2021. This case is regarded as the largest corruption scandal in the oil industry, centering around the $1.3 billion acquisition of a Nigerian oilfield ten years ago.
Judges in Brescia emphasized the importance of the prosecutors’ failure to file the relevant documents. They pointed out that a video recorded by a former Eni external lawyer was notably absent from the trial materials.
Massimo Dinoia, the lawyers representing the prosecutors, announced plans to appeal the verdict. He stated that detailed reasons for the court’s decision would be available within 45 days.
Dinoia expressed concern over the implications of the ruling. He described it as a dangerous precedent that undermines the autonomy of public prosecutors in making procedural decisions.
The ruling could also require the prosecutors and the government to compensate one of the acquitted defendants from the Eni trial. This defendant had joined the Brescia case as an offended party.
Prosecutors had requested the eight-month sentence, arguing that De Pasquale and Spadaro concealed evidence favoring the defendants. They maintained that the prosecutors’ actions infringed upon the rights of the accused.
The prosecutors’ defense attorney contended that there is no explicit requirement for prosecutors to file every document in a trial. He sought full acquittal for his clients based on this argument.
The Brescia court has jurisdiction over judicial matters involving judges and prosecutors in the Milan area. The case highlights the ongoing scrutiny of the legal system and the responsibilities of those within it.
