Today, at the disposal of the District Attorney’s Office at the Court of Catania, the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Catania have implemented an order for the application of a precautionary measure issued by the Judge for Preliminary Investigations at the Court, against eleven subjects including political representatives, municipal officials and entrepreneurs, as they are seriously suspected in various capacities, in the state of the documents and in the present phase (in which the cross-examination with the suspects has not yet been activated), of the crimes of “political-mafia electoral exchange, extortion aggravated by the mafia method, aggravated corruption for an act contrary to official duties, incitement to corruption and disturbing the freedom of auctions”. The investigation, coordinated by this District Attorney’s Office and conducted by the soldiers of the Investigative Unit of the Provincial Command of Catania from February 2018 to March 2021, was divided into complex technical and dynamic activities, carried out thanks to telephone, environmental and telematic interceptions and services of remote observation, further verified by declarations of justice collaborators and documentary acquisitions. Serious circumstantial elements have so far been acquired regarding a plurality of crimes committed, according to the accusatory perspective, within the administrative management of the Municipality of Tremestieri Etneo (CT) and, in particular, agreements made between some of the subjects responsible for government of the organization and elements close to exponents of the SANTAPAOLA-ERCOLANO mafia gang. The investigative findings of a technical nature were confirmed by the accusatory statements made by some collaborators of justice, already affiliated to the same family, and in particular Silvio CORRA, former manager of the Nizza group, and Salvatore BONANNO, a person who had already provided important statements in times prior to carrying out the investigations in question. From the set of circumstantial elements it would have emerged that Pietro Alfio COSENTINO, recipient of precautionary custody in prison and representative of the SANTAPAOLA-ERCOLANO mafia clan in the Tremestieri Etneo area, worked to ensure compliance with precise electoral agreements preparatory to the election of the current mayor of Tremestieri Etneo Santi RANDO. Throughout the entire course of the present investigations, the figure of COSENTINO emerged alongside the mayor of Tremestieri Santi RANDO, in whom he appeared to be the most trusted man and together with whom he appeared to be an active subject in the crime of political-mafia exchange voting. , in relation to the administrative electoral consultations of 05.31.2015 and the subsequent ballot of 06.21.2015, together with the convicted criminals Vito ROMEO and Francesco SANTAPAOLA, all mafia affiliates and top exponents of the SANTAPAOLA-ERCOLANO gang (as per the conviction sentences now passed in judged). However, after the electoral victory of RANDO, a series of judicial operations (and in particular those called Kronos and Carthago2) certified the membership of “Cosa Nostra Catanese” of Francesco SANTAPAOLA and Vito ROMEO, also involving Alfio ROMEO, at the time arrested for drug offences; such judicial events that occurred became, in the eyes of those who had benefited from electoral support, an inconvenient preliminary ruling for the fulfillment of pre-electoral promises, which they would therefore have been realized only for COSENTINO, the only figure not reached by any precautionary measure, even if the summons from the justice collaborator BONANNO Salvatore against him had become known. The investigative findings have consequently attested to the strong discontent expressed by the ROMEO family unit, which remained highly dissatisfied as it was excluded from any direct utility despite the electoral support provided and the promises made, while COSENTINO, after having obtained the “settlement” working of the two sons COSENTINO Vincenza and COSENTINO Francesco, was excluded from the electoral lists for the 2021 local elections, as he became a subject easily linked to the SANTAPAOLA-ERCOLANO mafia association. In this specific context, elements have been acquired which would demonstrate a business degeneration of the local government of the municipality of Tremestieri Etneo, of which Luca Rosario SAMMARTINO, at the time of the facts regional deputy and current vice-president of the Region, appeared to be the main political contact of the first citizen Santi RANDO. Precisely with regard to the figure of SAMMARTINO, it was found that he was concerned about protecting himself from possible investigative activities underway against him, excluding from the lists those with an odor of organized crime, of whom he appears to have made use during the elections; the same would also have worked to carry out surveillance and technical “reclamation” activities of the premises of his political secretariat making use of personnel from the Carabinieri in service and in retirement, also trying to acquire confidential information regarding the possible pending criminal proceedings against him. The investigative activities explored the internal dynamics of the aforementioned Local Authority and the detailed planning of numerous corruptions emerged, which would have been seen in pp.uu. RANDO and Giovanni NACCARATO (Manager of the Public Works Directorate and Territorial Planning-Urban Planning Directorate), as well as COSENTINO and Puccio MONACO (Architect and at the time the Mayor’s consultant free of charge), the corrupt officials, who allegedly received money and other various utilities, almost always thanks to the constant and “professional” intermediation activity of the engineer. Paolo DI LORETO, to grant permits and assign jobs to friendly entrepreneurs. In fact, among the recipients of the precautionary measure, there are also four entrepreneurs (one of whom has already died from natural causes) who emerged in the context of as many corruption events, in relation to which they would have benefited, in exchange for money and other benefits illicitly given to the public official, of the granting of municipal permits (authorisations to build and changes of intended use) and assignments of public works (renovation and maintenance of public buildings), even just promises, as in the case of the contract relating to the renovation of the local Carabinieri Barracks , then never occurred. Elements have been acquired which would seem to outline a strategy of the leaders of the municipality of Tremestieri Etneo aimed at neutralizing any form of political opposition, going so far as to favor the historic opposition councilor Mario RONSISVALLE, who then moved – also thanks to the intervention of SAMMARTINO – right between the supporters of RANDO for the 2021 administrative elections. Specifically, RONSISVALLE, owner of a pharmacy in Tremestieri, would have been favored by reducing the number of pharmacies in the municipal organic plan, obtaining in exchange the promise of electoral support in view of the 2019 European elections for the candidate supported by SAMMARTINO. As part of the same order, the GIP reserved its decision against a soldier of the Army on active service, whose help SAMMARTINO Luca would have availed himself of, upon payment of sums of money, to carry out technical “reclamation” activities looking for bugs in his offices; the soldier, therefore, will be subjected to interrogation, following which the GIP will evaluate the application of the interdictory measure of suspension from the exercise of a public office or service, as requested by this Public Prosecutor’s Office. All the accusatory hypotheses, currently shared by the GIP on site, will have to be confirmed when the cross-examination between the parties is established, as legally required. PEOPLE RECIPIENTS OF THE MEASURE: PROTECTIVE CUSTODY IN PRISON 1. COSENTINO Pietro Alfio known as “Piero”, born in Trecastagni (CT) on 16.8.1962; 2. RANDO Santi, born in Catania on 3.11.1975. HOUSE ARREST 1. DI LORETO Paolo, born in Catania on 4.7.1952; 2. MONACO Giuseppe, known as “Puccio” born in Catania on 2.3.1952; 3. NACCARATO Giovanni, born in Naples on 11.8.1966; 4. RONSISVALLE Mario, born in Catania on 6.1.1970. SUSPENSION – FOR A DURATION OF ONE YEAR – FROM PUBLIC OFFICES HELD AND FROM ALL RELATED ACTIVITIES 1. SAMMARTINO Luca Rosario Luigi, born in Catania on 21.2.1985; 2. PLATANIA Michele, born in Catania on 25.6.1968. PROHIBITION – FOR THE DURATION OF ONE YEAR – FROM EXERCISING THE RESPECTIVE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND FROM HOLDING MANAGEMENT OFFICES OF LEGAL PERSONS 1. CUCINOTTA Domenico, born in Catania on 22.9.1960; 2. FERLITO Giuseppe, born in Catania on 27.3.1960; 3. STANGANELLI Mario, born in Palagonia on 9.1.1966.
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