Eight people, including municipal employees, construction contractors and private technicians, were arrested and placed under house arrest for corruption, material forgery and suppression of documents. The accusation, brought by the Prosecutor's Office of Naples North, concerns the issuing of building permits in exchange for bribes. The contested facts occurred between 2022 and the first months of 2023.
Among those arrested are: Raffaele Serpico, current manager in charge of the municipal technical office; Giuseppe Minale, former municipal employee and surveyor in service at the UTC at the time of the events; the Aversa builders Alfonso and Yari Cecere, father and son, and four architects.
The investigation, conducted by the Carabinieri of the Aversa Investigative Unit and coordinated by prosecutors Patrizia Dongiacomo and Cesare Sirignano, brought to light an illicit system for issuing building permits.
Public officials allegedly pocketed bribes of 500 to 2000 euros to approve construction practices deemed illegitimate. In some cases, the bribes were paid in cash, in other cases with favors or professional services.
One of the architects involved, instead of paying the bribe, allegedly helped the municipal manager in carrying out other public procedures.
The investigation found that the suspects had created a real system to advance building practices, including through the suppression and replacement of documents.
In one specific case, a residential complex of 19 apartments built with illegitimate permits and without the necessary subdivision was seized. The investigation is still ongoing and further details and responsibilities may emerge.
