Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
The four businessmen under investigation in the Nexus inquiry also chose not to answer questions from the preliminary investigations judge of the Court, Antonella Coniglio. The investigation alleges a supposed network of relationships between political figures, public officials and businessmen aimed at rigging public contract bids and the awarding of public works.
The individuals are directors, partners and employees of companies linked to the Boscarino family, who face corruption allegations to varying degrees. The fourth businessman, however, is accused of illicit influence peddling.
Represented by lawyers Giorgio D’Angelo and Silvestre Costanzo, the four under investigation have been served with the precautionary measure of a temporary ban on carrying out business activities that would allow them to submit applications for EU or state funding. The order issued by the judge lasts for 12 months.
Meanwhile, the defence teams for Carabinieri chief warrant officer Salvatore Strazzulla and former Municipal council deputy chair Concetta Carbone are expected to act. Their lawyers are due to file an appeal today, the final day within the set deadline, to the Court of Appeal in Catania to request the annulment of the precautionary measures issued by judge Coniglio.
The hearing could be scheduled as early as the first days of November. That will be the forum in which the defence will be able to challenge the grounds for the precautionary measures and present the judges with the evidence they consider useful to support their clients’ cases. Strazzulla, who has been in prison since last week at Santa Maria Capua Vetere, reportedly intends to clarify certain aspects of the affair in which he is implicated as an alleged intermediary between political figures and businessmen.
According to the investigative reconstruction, the chief warrant officer is attributed a leading role and coordinating functions within the alleged criminal association. The precautionary order describes him as “the promoter and organiser of the criminal association and the reference point for every decision, planning and resolution of issues related to facilitated participation in tenders and the awarding of works by local public bodies”.
The Carabinieri officer is said to have stated that he is calm and confident he can clarify his position both before the Court of Appeal and to the public prosecutors of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, who coordinated the investigations conducted by the police unit for political crime and terrorism (Digos) at Syracuse Police Headquarters.
