Prosecutors Seek an Immediate Trial for Berlusconi

On Wednesday Italian prosecutors will seek an immediate trial for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, accused of paying for sex with an under-age girl and intervening improperly to have her released from police custody.

Milan prosecutors allege Berlusconi paid for sex with Moroccan Karima El Mahroug –more known as Ruby- nightclub dancer, while she was under 18, the legal age for prostitution in Italy.

Once the request is submitted by Milan prosecutors -who assure they have enough evidence to skip a preliminary hearing and go straight to trial- the judge will have five days to decide, although the deadline could be extended by a few days.

“We’ll have a final meeting today on the procedural aspects and tomorrow we will forward the request to the judge,” chief prosecutor Edmondo Bruti Liberati told.

The 74-year-old premier, who has resisted calls to resign over the scandal, has faced mounting legal problems since the constitutional court last month struck down central parts of a law which gave him automatic immunity from trial.

Source: Reuters