Former Rome mayor Alemanno gets 6 years (4)

(ANSA) - Rome, February 25 - Gianni Alemanno, the former centre-right mayor of Rome, was sentenced to six years in prison on Monday after being found guilty of corruption and illegal financing.
    He was also banned from ever holding public office again. The trial is an offshoot linked to the huge 'Mondo di Mezzo' case regarding allegations an organized-crime organisation muscled in on city of Rome contracts worth millions.
    "The sentence is mistaken," Alemanno said.
    "We will definitely appeal once we have read the explanation (of the ruling).
    "I'm innocent. I've always said it and I'll say it at the second tier of justice too".
    In Italy sentences do not usually become effective until the appeals process has been exhausted.
    As part of the sentence, nearly 300,000 euros was seized from Alemanno and he was ordered to pay compensation of 50,000 euros to both waste collection company AMA and the Rome city council.