Mantua mayor probed for sex (5)

(ANSA) - Mantua, November 24 - Mantua Mayor Mattia Palazzi of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) has been placed under investigation for allegedly demanding sexual favours in exchange for funding a local cultural association, police said Friday. The PD mayor is accused of asking a female representative of a local cultural association for sex, in exchange for municipal funding, the Gazzetta di Mantova newspaper reported. Palazzi denied the charges, saying "I have never asked for favours from anyone, abusing my role as mayor." The PD official said "I know that lady but there was never anything private with her. "In the end the town council only awarded the patronage of one of the association's events".
    Palazzi's alleged accuser, whom the Gazzetta spoke to but did not identify, denied reporting him on Friday.
    "I never made any move against Palazzi," said the woman, the vice president of the cultural association.
    "Indeed, I go further: if false accusations come out against him I will defend him".
    She went on: "I know him, we have met on public occasions.
    The woman denied getting any funds from Mantua's public coffers.
    "We have not received even a euro from the Mantua town council, but only its patronage, which we didn't even use," she said.
    The president and the vice president of the cultural association were quizzed yesterday morning as persons with knowledge relevant to the case by assistant prosecutor Donatella Pianezzi.
    At the moment, therefore, it is not clear who reported the mayor to the police.