Another two councillors of the
judiciary's self-governing body, the Supreme Council of
Magistrates (CSM), suspended themselves from their posts Tuesday
in the wake of a storm caused by a Perugia graft probe.
Gianlugi Morlini and Paolo Criscuoli joined several other
self-suspended CSM members.
But Criscuoli spoke of a "witch hunt" in the case.
The deputy head of the CSM, David Ermini, told a plenary
session that the justices should follow the "illuminated guide"
of titular head Sergio Mattarella, the Italian president.
Ermini said "never again should there be games of power or
venal trafficking".
Milan Archbishop Mario Delpini called on magistrates "to
resist the lure of corruption".
A storm over the corruption probe involving senior Italian
magistrate Luca Palamara escalated on Thursday with the news
that more people are under investigation, including other
prosecutors.
Palamara, a former board member of the CSM, the judiciary's
self-governing body, and the former head of magistrates union
ANM, has called the accusations "defamatory" and denied any
wrongdoing.
Notification of an investigation to businessman Fabrizio
Centofanti said that he was suspected of exchanges of favours,
including holidays, involving Palamara and two lawyers, Piero
Amara and Giuseppe Calafiore.
Rome prosecutor Stefano Rocco Fava and CSM member Luigi Spina
are also under investigation, sources said.
They were questioned on Tuesday about allegations they helped
Palamara conceal his alleged wrongdoing.
Rocco Fava is accused of revealing information about
investigations into Palamara and of helping him by passing on
documents, according to another probe notification, the sources
said.
Finance police seized evidence at Palamara's office in
relation to the probe on Thursday, sources said.
The warrant for the search referred to allegations that
Palamara received 40,000 euros when he was a CSM board member to
push the appointment of Giancarlo Longo as the prosecutor of
Gela - a nomination that never happened.
photo: Palamara
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