Gianfranco Miccichè ordered to pay damages for misuse of official vehicle

The Italian Court of Auditors has ordered Gianfranco Miccichè, the former president of the Sicilian Regional Assembly (Ars), to pay 31,103 euros in damages for the illicit use of an official vehicle. Miccichè must also pay an additional 11,660 euros in solidarity with his former driver, Maurizio Messina. Both individuals are required to reimburse legal expenses totaling approximately 1,669 euros.

The ruling follows investigations into dozens of incidents where the service vehicle was allegedly used for purposes unrelated to institutional duties. These included trips between Palermo and Cefalù to transport family members, as well as the transport of personal items such as plants, medicines, and groceries. The prosecution also alleged that the vehicle was used on seven occasions to purchase narcotics, an act the court noted as a misuse of public resources for illegal private purposes.

While this accounting court ruling has been issued, Miccichè remains under criminal prosecution for charges including fraud and embezzlement. The criminal proceedings seek to address the allegations that led to a house arrest order for the former official in May 2024.