Outgoing Rome mayor Marino quizzed by prosecutor (2)

(ANSA) - Rome,October 19 - Outgoing mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino was being quizzed Monday by public prosecutor Roberto Felici, the magistrate heading a probe into the controversial expenses he ran up before he resigned, judicial sources said.
    The investigation was opened following charges levelled by the Fratelli d'Italia and the radical 5-Star Movement parties.
    Marino allegedly used his municipal credit card to rack up thousands of euros in expenses for personal meals rather than official ones.
    The mayor, who himself published his expenses in a transparency bid that backfired, denies this.
    Marino was being questioned on the eve of the opening Tuesday of the preliminary trial on corruption charges of the former head of the Rome street-cleaning agency AMA, Giovanni Fiscon, the first hearing in the 'Capital Mafia' Rome graft scandal.
    Marino, who helped uncover the scandal and was praised by Premier Matteo Renzi for his honesty, indicated he would attend the opening of the trial at which he said before he resigned the city government would seek civil damages from the crime gang that allegedly pillaged Rome.