Deputy Inspector of the Penitentiary Police Sentenced to 4 Years for Obstruction of Justice

Four years of imprisonment for obstruction of justice: this is the sentence issued yesterday by the Single Judge of the Court of Santa Maria Capua Vetere against a vice inspector of the Penitentiary Police, in service at the “Francesco Uccella” prison.

The charges: pressure on prisoners to recant

The trial concerned conduct subsequent to the events of April 6, 2020, when some officers were accused of violence against inmates in the Nile section of the prison. The defendant, not involved in the initial investigations, then allegedly exerted pressure on two inmates who had already been heard as witnesses, implicitly threatening them to make them recant or change their statements.

According to the victims, the officer – who at the time held the role of coordinator of the General Surveillance – approached them to convince them to testify in his favor, thus altering the course of justice.

The precautionary measure and the sentence

Already in January 2022, the GIP had ordered his suspension from office for six months, considering there were serious indications of guilt. At the end of the trial, the judge convicted him of the crime of obstruction of justice (art. 377 cp), aggravated by his position as a public official.

The defense: “Innocent until final sentence”

The conviction is not yet final: the defendant may appeal, and the judges of the subsequent levels may overturn the sentence or confirm it. By law, he remains innocent until the outcome of the appeal.

The context: the case of the prison of Santa Maria Capua Vetere

The episode is part of the post-scandal violence in 2020, when officers were accused of abusing inmates during the riot over anti-Covid restrictions. The investigation led to several officers being remanded in custody, but this case concerns a subsequent attempt to tamper with evidence.

The outcome of the trial confirms the judiciary's commitment to prosecuting crimes against the proper conduct of justice, especially when committed by those who should ensure its respect.