A serviceman suspected of raping a
16-year-old girl in Rome late on Monday has been arrested, ANSA
sources said Wednesday.
The suspect is a 31-year-old from the Calabrian province of
Cosenza who works for the defence ministry in a Navy department,
the sources said.
He was detained after being caught by video cameras of
shops in the area and identified by witnesses.
The victim recognised the suspect as her rapist, sources
said.
"I'm sorry about what happened but we are satisfied because
our investigators recognized the perpetrator in record time,"
said Rome Police Chief Nicolò D'Angelo.
"They did a good job and worked quickly. The evidence
against him is significant".
After an interrogation at the police station, where
investigators say the man remained silent, the suspect covered
his face as he was led outside to a car waiting to take him to
jail.
At a hearing to take place within the next 48 hours, a
judge will decide whether to keep him in custody.
The Ministry of Defence, where the suspect worked,
confirmed on Wednesday that following his arrest they
"immediately suspended" him from his position.
Police found and arrested the suspect at his brother's
house Wednesday, and his brother was cited for abetment.
Investigators said they found a just-washed pair of pants
at the house which matched the description the victim gave of
the pants worn by her attacker.
The suspect also left physical evidence such as a bicycle
that he locked to a pole prior to approaching the victim and her
friends on Monday night, police said.
Investigators identified the man who was later seen on
video retrieving the bicycle as the suspect's brother.
On Wednesday politicians called for justice on the victim's
behalf.
"If the man arrested today turns out to be guilty, let's
hope very much that he be punished to the fullest extent of the
law," said Mara Carfagna, spokeswoman for Silvio Berlusconi's
Forza Italia party.
Annagrazia Calabria, a Forza Italia MP, called for swift
justice for a "vile and barbaric" crime "destined to forever
mark the life of the victim".
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