Milan – A climate of silence shattered by the testimonies of his colleagues and a confession that weighs like a millstone. Carmelo Cinturrino, the assistant chief of the State Police arrested for the murder of Abderrahim Mansouri, spoke before investigating judge Domenico Santoro in San Vittore prison.
"When I saw he was dying, I lost my mind," the officer admitted, apologizing "to those who wear the uniform." But while the officer admits to the murder, he vehemently denies the charge of extortion, the so-called "pizzo" (protection money) that, according to the Prosecutor's Office, he exacted from drug dealers and desperate individuals in the Rogoredo woods.
Colleagues' story: "Violent and unsavory."
Cinturrino's defense about the legality of his actions is contradicted by the statements of the other officers under investigation for aiding and abetting and failing to provide assistance. The statements describe a man who acted outside of all protocol.
"He wanted them to take drugs and money," a colleague testified on February 19, describing Cinturrino as a "disreputable" individual who didn't hesitate to attack with a hammer even a disabled man who frequented the drug dealing area. Regarding Mansouri, the victim, the witness was blunt: "I know he wanted to take him."
Phantom seizures and "substance from thin air"
Over time, doubts surrounding the chief assistant's actions had become certainties within the Mecenate Police Station. Many colleagues tried to avoid working with him. "We often found nothing, while he always had something. We began to have doubts, and we tried to stay detached," according to the reports coordinated by Prosecutor Marcello Viola.
An inspector told investigators about the practices used in the woods: shouting, slapping, and hitting with pieces of wood to get the drugs to be handed over, which then vanished into thin air, never resulting in a seizure report. "If I give everything, they'll leave me alone," a drug addict reportedly confided to an officer, leaving him stunned.
The defense and indignation of the leaders
While the Chief of Police, Prefect Vittorio Pisani, has expressed harsh words, demanding that the culprit be permanently removed, Cinturrino's lawyer, Piero Porciani, maintains a clear line: "Whoever makes a mistake pays, but a criminal is not someone who makes a mistake."
From the apartment in the Corvetto neighborhood, Valeria, the officer's girlfriend and the building's caretaker, also spoke out. She expressed bitterness but respect for the investigators' work: "If he made a mistake, he'll pay what he owes." It remains unclear how deep that system of abuse extended, and whether the colleagues' omissions were driven by fear or culpable underestimation.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
It seems to me to be a confusing story, full of dark spots. Colleagues have said conflicting things, and the evidence appears incomplete. I don't want to accuse anyone prematurely, but serious clarifications and a transparent trial are needed. Let's hope the truth comes out without bias and with all the paperwork in order.