The Court of Review of Catanzaro, upholding the appeal proposed by the Lawyer Giuseppe Bagnatoannulled the order with which the precautionary measure of detention in prison had been applied to VIncenzo Francesco Accorinti.
The suspect, 63 years old from Briatico, was arrested last May for the crime of participation in the mafia association and for complicity in an extortion scheme against the manager of the “Green Garden Club” tourist village, making use of the mafia method and in order to facilitate the interests of the association to which he belongs.
According to the investigators, Vincenzo Francesco Accorinti, as a significant associate, he would have contributed to outlining the gang’s strategy aimed at infiltrating the local public administration, also maintaining direct relationships with local politicians and sharing electoral choices with his brother Antonino. Furthermore, he would have played the role of cashier and custodian of part of the proceeds of the illicit activities of the family of the same name, receiving from members of other gangs the share of the extortions due to the supposed ‘ndrina Accorinti and to be allocated to the support of the other detained associates, taking care also to help his brother in prison financially. In the past Accorinti had held the position of municipal councilor, councilor and deputy mayor of the Municipality of Briatico.
Already last December the Court of Cassation intervened and, accepting the legitimacy findings raised by the defence, annulled with postponement the order with which the Review Court had decided in June to keep the accused in prison, ordering that he be disposed of a new judgment. Following the study and listening to the interceptions of interest, during the referral proceedings, the defense produced a statement accompanied by specific transcription and phonic consultancy in order to demonstrate that Accorinti was not involved in the extortion affair and, therefore, in any mafia context. At the outcome of the hearing on Tuesday 13 February, the Court of Review of Catanzaro, after having annulled the coercive order, ordered the immediate release of the accused.