Silvio Berlusconi and the eagerly awaited sex-scandal trial

Wednesday, April 6 2011. The first session of the Silvio Berlusconi's Rubygate trial has been adjourned, after 15 minutes.

Do you know how trials work in Italy? The so-called “Rubygate” proceedings are a good example of that. Silvio Berlusconi is accused of having paid an under-age prostitute for her services, namely Karima El Mahroug, aka Ruby Rubacuori (Italian for "Ruby Heartstealer", the nom de guerre of the girl). Other women were believed to have received money for the same reason, but they were adults, and that's not a crime in Italy (I mean: it's not a crime to give money in exchange for sex to women above 18).

Court and press

The first hearings were due for on 6 April. The build-up was huge. An extensive international press coverage was set-up. Outside of the fascist-era court building in Milan an assemblage people gathered: curious folks, Berlusconi tireless haters and fans.
The renowned Italian organisation worked like a Swiss watch: the courtroom had been repainted, the flows of the crowd and the loads of journalists regulated by barriers. Everything was working just fine.

Silvio's supporters

Then – it's 9:35 – the President of the Court Giulia Turri started to go through the roll. Mr Berlusconi didn't attend to the hearing, but sent a letter instead saying that he was very sorry (actually “he intends” – and loves – “to follow all the hearings of his trial”, he's just too busy), but he had to go and fix a problem with Tunisia or Libya, or both.

Niccolò Ghedini (wasn't there)

He also said they could go ahead with the proceedings without him, no need to wait. After Berlusconi's message, the judge had to read another letter, from the Prime Minister's lawyers. Regretfully both lawyers Niccolò Ghedini and Piero Longo were engaged with a Parliament session, so they could not attend. Sorry for that.

Giorgia Iafrate (absentee)

After that, the panel of judges calls police headquarters' officer Giorgia Iafrate (a alleged victim of Silvio Berlusconi's concussion, she granted custody of the underage Ruby to Nicole Minetti), but she's not there (thankfully her lawyer was). Than it's the turn of two other officers, Pietro Ostuni and Ivo Morello, but they're absent (they lawyers too). And even Ruby the Heart Stealer, who was not there.

So the whole thing started at 9:35 and ended at around 9:45, after drawing up the absentees' list, with a adjournment to 31 May.

That was a quick one, wasn't it?

Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel