Mayor arrested in corruption probe

(ANSA) - Bari, February 5 - Finance police on Thursday arrested the centre-left mayor of Gioia del Colle in relation to a probe into alleged crimes against the public administration linked to the construction of social housing in this community in the southern Puglia region.
    Sergio Povia was arrested along with eight others - the former deputy mayor of Gioia del Colle, Francesco Paolo Valentini, a local businessman, three town council employees and three professionals - on various charges including corruption, bid rigging and interference in the contract allocation procedure. Povia, Valentini and the businessman were being held in jail while the remaining six suspects were placed under house arrest.