Failure to apply investigating magistrates and gup at the Court of Vibo Valentia and preliminary hearings which continue to be postponed due to a lack of judges. Today the criminal proceedings against the former mayor of Cessaniti, Francesco Mazzeo, paid the price, accused of slander, impersonation, violation of computer seals, with 12 charges and 28 offended parties including priests, prefectural commissioners, law enforcement agencies, municipal secretaries, politicians, lawyers, citizens and entrepreneurs, all of whom ended up in the sights of the former mayor through the sending of anonymous letters with false accusations.
Although the request for committal to trial by the Vibo Prosecutor’s Office dates back to 25 February last year, to date no useful preliminary hearing has been held before the preliminary hearing judge, with four postponements in a row (one every two months) since last July due to a lack of judges. The original owner of the proceedings, judge Rossella Maiorana, was in recent months applied as president of a maxi-trial for the ‘Ndrangheta, replacing another judge who had gone on maternity leave. Another preliminary hearing judge, judge Francesca Loffredo, is however incompatible with the discussion as she has already performed the functions of investigating judge in the same proceeding against the former mayor, while the other preliminary hearing judge, judge Roberta Ricotta, has been transferred to Sicily a few days ago. The lack of magistrates at the Court of Vibo has therefore led today to a new postponement of the trial to April 9th and other important criminal proceedings (slander linked to family abuse) have also been postponed due to a lack of judges.