Prosecutors in the Sardinian city of
Sassari on Wednesday filed a request to indict nine people,
including Antonino Becciu, the brother of Cardinal Angelo
Becciu, and the bishop of Ozieri, Corrado Melis, on embezzling
and money laundering charges over their management of 2 million
euros in funds from Italy's 8x1,000 personal income tax
devolution to the Catholic Church which were earmarked for the
diocese.
The request was presented by Sassari prosecutor Gianni Caria to
preliminary hearings judge (GUP) Sergio De Luca.
A hearing to present the arguments of the defence, represented
by attorneys Ivano Iai and Antonello Patanè, has been scheduled
on February 3.
The other people involved in the case include the local director
of Catholic charity Caritas, Father Mario Curzu and the parish
priest of San Nicola in charge of the diocese's funds, Father
Francesco Ledda, who have denied through their defence team the
illicit use of the funding they received from the Vatican's
Secretary of State and the Italian Boshops' Conference CEI.
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