The Naples Public Prosecutor's Office has requested a 12-year prison sentence for the Carabinieri non-commissioned officer Giuseppe Bucolo, accused in a trial that is currently taking place with the abbreviated procedure, on charges of having been corrupted by the camorra of the Traiano district of Naples.
According to collaborators of justice, the Cutolo clan paid Bucolo between 55 and 60 thousand euros per month in exchange for confidential information on investigations and arrests.
Bucolo is currently under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. He was arrested on October 25, 2022 in an operation against usury conducted by his colleagues, who notified a total of 11 precautionary measures issued by the investigating judge of Naples Leda Rossetti.
Today his lawyer, Vincenzo Strazzullo, gave his last speech before the sentencing scheduled for October 24. A collaborator of justice named Gennaro Carra, the boss's brother-in-law Salvatore Cutolo known as “Borotalco”, made some statements regarding the involvement of the carabiniere in a serious criminal episode: the wounding, which occurred on 24 September 2015, of a policeman named Nicola Barbato, who was involved together with a colleague in an operation against racketeering.
Money to benefit the Camorra: the Carabiniere's lawyer denies the accusations
During the speech, the lawyer Vincenzo Strazzullo, the soldier's defender, repeatedly affirmed his belief in Giuseppe Bucolo's innocence and argued that the non-commissioned officer of the Carabinieri was the object of resentment by the investigators precisely because of his commitment to fighting organized crime. During a break, Strazzullo told journalists that he had received six commendations for the activity carried out against the clans.
The lawyer's speech took place in courtroom 410 of the New Palace of Justice in Naples, before the judges of the 30th criminal section presided over by Judge Lombardo. The speech began at 9:30 and ended at 15:30, with Strazzullo examining point by point the accusations made against his client and highlighting the insufficient reliability of the collaborators of justice and the lack of confirmation of their statements.
“In the wiretaps – Strazzullo declared – there is no evidence of confidences aimed at avoiding arrests, which instead occurred thanks to the work carried out by Bucolo”.
Regarding the so-called “false collaborators of justice”, the lawyer focused his attention on Gennaro Carra, defining him as “a Camorrista for matrimonial interest”, unable to tolerate detention and who had chosen to undertake a collaboration based on lies towards a representative of the police force towards whom he had a grudge.
Strazzullo also reminded the judges of the existence of sentences that confirm the unreliability of the repentant, such as the one issued by judge Ginevra Abbamonte. In the statements made by the collaborators of justice, reference is made several times to large sums of money paid to a representative of the police force, who would have collected over 1,2 million euros from the Cutolo clan in just two years.
However, the lawyer stressed that Bucolo asked for a loan to pay off his debts and that no evidence of the existence of such money was found. Strazzullo concluded by stating that Bucolo fought against the Fuorigrotta clans for years, obtaining important results, which is why he was hated, and that he believes in the uniform he wears and must continue to wear. According to the lawyer, Bucolo's innocence is beyond any reasonable doubt.
Article published on 25 September 2023 - 18:07
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