The trial on the alleged torture inflicted on inmates of the Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison (Caserta) on April 6, 2020, during the protests that broke out in the penitentiaries due to the Covid lockdown, is entering its final phase. There are 105 defendants involved, including prison police officers, officials of the Department of Penitentiary Administration (Dap) and doctors from the Caserta ASL.
In the latest hearings, the witnesses – prisoners who did not join the trial as civil parties – are providing versions that, in part, differ from the accusations made by the Prosecutor's Office, speaking in favor of some officers.
Raffaele Romano, one of the witnesses heard, identified the defendants Giuseppe Gaudiano and Alessio De Simone, declaring: “They helped me, taking me away from the group of officers with helmets and truncheons who were massacring me”.
Okoli Pedro Uch, another witness, said he was protected by Inspector Salvatore Mezzarano, who shouted to his colleagues to stop the violence, saving him from the beatings. During cross-examination, the lawyer Edoardo Razzino, Mezzarano's defender, presented videos: the witness recognized the inspector as the one who accompanied him to the cell, protecting him.
Another witness, Ismaila Futa, reported that Mezzarano was shouting “enough, enough, enough” while trying to stop the violence of police officers from other penitentiaries, including Secondigliano and Avellino. Pasquale Bottone also described a similar episode, recounting how the inspector intervened in his defense, shouting: “Leave him alone, leave him alone.”
Testimonies are painting a more nuanced picture of events, with some statements that could impact the outcome of the trial.
Article published on November 20, 2024 - 15:46
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