"He abused his powers by depriving 131 migrants of personal freedom aboard the Gregoretti naval unit of the Italian coast guard at 00.35 on 27 July 2019".
It is the indictment of the Catania Ministers' Court after the investigations on the former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. The document of the Court of Ministers was published by Corriere della Sera and the former minister has already replied to the news last night during an interview with Rete4.
"Signed by the president of the court of ministers Lamantia, a member of the Democratic magistracy, is sent to the president of the Senate that Salvini would be guilty of the crime of aggravated kidnapping by abusing his powers. I risk up to 15 years in prison. I think it is a shame that a minister will be tried for having made the interest of his country ", the former minister had announced.
Salvini is accused of having "knowingly determined the illegitimate deprivation of the freedom of migrants, forced to remain in critical psycho-physical conditions on board", the judges write. The story concerns the ship Gregoretti: the Coast Guard patrolman had been stationary in the military port of Augusta (Syracuse) from the night of July 27th with over 100 migrants aboard rescued at sea until July 31 when the go-ahead had arrived for the landing.
The prosecutor in September had formalized the request for dismissal, but had nevertheless forwarded the documents to the College for ministerial crimes of the Court of Catania.
"It is a shame. I would like to know how much these investigations cost the Italian people. How much do men and time take away from real investigations of real criminals". The leader of the League says this, arriving at a Confapi event, referring to the latest investigation concerning him. "The fact that I risk years in prison for defending the borders of my country makes me say that in Italy there is a problem".