Giovanni Toti will remain under house arrest. This was decided by the investigating judge of the Court of Genoa, Paola Faggioni, who rejected the request to revoke the house arrest for the Governor of Liguria, currently suspended, arrested on 7 May on charges of corruption.
According to what is read in the provision, “it is evident, also in light of recent investigative developments, that there remains a danger that the suspect may repeat similar conduct – which is also considered fully legitimate and correct by the aforementioned – in view of the next regional electoral competitions in 2025 (or any further electoral competitions), for which, moreover, the relevant fundraising had already begun”.
A danger, continues Faggioni, which “is becoming increasingly concrete”, considering that Toti “still continues to hold the same functions and public positions, with the consequent possibility that they will once again be put at the service of private interests in exchange for funding”.
In this regard, “it is also particularly significant that, during the investigations, requests for interest in Toti had emerged from both Spinelli and Moncada also in relation to further administrative practices involving regional competences: Moncada, in some conversations with Toti he referred to the opening of further Esselunga stores in Savona and Rapallo; Spinelli made pressing requests for intervention from the governor also with reference to the approval of the new port master plan”.
“There remains, therefore, the concrete danger that the suspect may continue to facilitate the interests of these business groups” and the requirements relating to evidential pollution also remain “currently”, “taking into account the particular phase of the proceedings, in which the investigations are in full swing and, in particular, hearings are underway with officials and managers of the Liguria Region who are aware of the facts being investigated, who could well be subject to conditioning or pressure from the suspect to make a convenient reconstruction of the events “.
“This risk clearly becomes particularly high if the suspect resumes the exercise of the functions performed”, he continues.
