27 April 1996, the honesty of Calogero Tramuta, killed by the mafia, told by a student from Crotone – On the occasion of the date, 27 April 1996, on which he was murdered in Lucca Sicula, in the province of Agrigento, Calogero Tramuta, agent of the Guardia of retired Finance and orange trader, the National Coordination of Teachers of the discipline of Human Rights proposes to remember his figure through the careful research carried out by the student Martina Pullano of class I section. D of the Filolao Scientific High School in Crotone.
“Calogero Tramuta, born on 31 August 1951 in Agrigento, spent a happy and peaceful childhood surrounded by the affection of his loved ones. In 1972 he joined the Guardia di Finanza, working between Rome and Florence. In 1993, after a long career, he decided to return to his hometown to realize his lifelong dream: promoting the fruits of the Sicilian lands. He began by purchasing oranges directly from farmers to resell them in the fruit and vegetable markets, also distributing them in the markets of Riberia and Sicily and extended his business to Tuscany. The crime occurred in a local pizzeria “Charleston” and appears to have been orchestrated due to the interference that Tramuta was creating in the affairs of Emanuele Radosta’s agricultural company.
The differences between the two apparently arose following a dispute regarding a shipment of oranges destined for Tuscany and an agreement for the purchase of land. It should be noted that Radosta had previously been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 1992 murder of Giuseppe Borsellino, Paolo’s father, whose death anniversary was commemorated on April 21.
Calogero’s growing business was not well received by Emanuele Radosta, who, son of Stefano Radosta, a well-known local boss in the fruit and vegetable sector, did not tolerate its expansion. It was necessary to teach him a lesson. The signs were not long in coming: between 1994 and 1995, unknown individuals, armed with nailed boards, vandalized Tramuta’s gardens, damaging its oranges. If this wasn’t enough to make the former financier understand, other threats would soon follow.
In fact, shortly after, all the irrigation pumps in his fields were damaged and the brakes of his car sabotaged. Despite these intimidations, Calogero continued his activity, although increasingly nervous. However, the situation worsened in April 1996, when his usual truck full of oranges, destined for Tuscany, was mysteriously replaced with a load of poor quality oranges. At this point, Calogero understood everything: the mafia had decided to stop him with every means available. On the evening of April 26, Calogero publicly confronted Radosta, accusing him of all the damages he had suffered and ordering him to compensate him for what he had done. Radosta could not accept such an affront so he ordered the execution. On April 27, a man armed with a machine gun came out of the pizzeria and fired all his shots at poor Calogero who died instantly. Subsequently, the investigations, thanks to the ballistics report, discovered that the machine gun used was the same one used for the murder of Giuseppe Borsellino in 1992.”
The case of Calogero Tramuta is particularly emblematic as an honest man who during his working life had carried out an important role for the protection of legality, once retired, wanted to create an entrepreneurial activity conducted in transparency. All this makes us understand how the interests of the mafia are pervasive and concern many aspects of civil life. Calogero, in the name of his ideals, refused any form of compromise. Today, thanks also to Martina’s work, we remember it in our school classrooms.
The CNDDU once again invites students and teachers to join the inostristudentiraccontanoimartiridellalegalità project. The works can be reported to the CNDDU which will make them visible on its social channels (email: [email protected])
Prof. Romano Pesavento
President CNDDU
