Italy judicial updates: Mafia-contract investigations archived and 'Ndrangheta convictions finalized

Italian judicial proceedings regarding organized crime have reached several significant conclusions. In Caltanissetta, Judge Santi Bologna has ordered the archiving of investigations into the “mafia-appalti” (mafia-contracts) dossier. This decision dismisses charges against former magistrates Gioacchino Natoli and Giuseppe Pignatone, as well as General Stefano Screpanti, citing a lack of evidence of fraudulent intent or sufficient grounds for conviction regarding their roles in the early 1990s.

The archiving also covers an investigation into whether the management of public contracts acted as an accelerator for the 1992 Via D’Amelio massacre. While the court acknowledged the historical importance of the mafia-contracts link, it stated that it was impossible to identify specific responsible parties more than thirty years later. Critics have noted that while the decree mentions Giuseppe Graviano, it does not fully address his role as a primary architect of the 1992 bombings.

In a separate matter, the Corte di Cassazione has finalized the “Ultimo Atto” trial concerning the 'Ndrangheta clan in Cirò. The ruling confirms four convictions for attempted extortion aggravated by mafia methods, while definitively acquitting three individuals because the facts did not exist. This case highlights the criminal control exerted by the clan through intimidation in local construction and land sectors.