Del Turco cleared of criminal association charge

(ANSA) - Perugia, September 27 - A Perugia appeals court on Wednesday dropped a criminal association charge against former Abruzzo governor Ottaviano Del Turco in relation to a health sector corruption case in the southern Italian region. Del Turco's conviction was cut from nine years and nine months to three years and 11 months. "The last piece in a mountain of evidence has been disproved," said Del Turco's lawyer.
    In December 2016 the supreme Court of Cassation upheld a corruption charge against Del Turco but scrapped the more serious conviction for criminal association and ordered a repeat of the appeals level trial. Del Turco, a former Socialist trade union leader and ex-finance minister, was sentenced to nine years, nine months in prison in July 2013.