Corruption in Trapani, Carlo Guarnotta released: Home restriction lifted

Last Updated: March 12, 2024

Corruzione a Trapani, Carlo Guarnotta torna in libertà: il Riesame annulla il divieto di dimora

The Riesame Court of Palermo has revoked the injunction prohibiting engineer Carlo Guarnotta from residing in the municipalities of Trapani and Erice. Guarnotta, former sole director of the company Trapani Servizi, was involved in a police operation that also targeted a tender – deemed rigged by investigators – to facilitate his appointment as general manager of the waste collection company in the city. The Riesame Court has reserved 45 days to provide the reasoning behind its decision.

“I am pleased – Carlo Guarnotta wrote – with the positive outcome in my favor by the Riesame, in which I placed my trust. I thank my lawyers Giuseppe Adragna and Orazio Rapisarda for their support. I am confident – he concludes – in justice and ready to clarify my position definitively”. It all started in September 2020, after a fire devastated part of the composting plant of Trapani Servizi in contrada Belvedere in Trapani. During the investigations, the carabinieri reportedly discovered that a rigged competition was set up to facilitate Guarnotta’s appointment as general director after he was removed from the position due to the new Board of Directors taking over. To help Guarnotta, the notice for the director selection was tailored by Rosario Bellofiore, including requirements that only the favored candidate could meet.

The tender required the director to have worked for at least three years as a manager of public or partially government-owned companies with at least 110 employees (Trapani Servizi had 126 at the time), designed so that only Guarnotta could win. The then administrative director Giuseppe Ullo also reportedly participated in this scheme. In exchange for help, Guarnotta allegedly promised Bellofiore, a former consultant for the company, to confirm his position despite the negative opinion of the Board of Directors. Today, the decision of the Riesame Court and the revocation of the precautionary measure against Guarnotta.