Elisabetta Bonsignore accused of corruption and bid rigging in Favignana, released

Last Updated: May 7, 2024

Accuse di corruzione e turbativa d'asta a Favignana, scarcerata Elisabetta Bonsignore

The Riesame Court of Palermo, with President Annalisa Tesoriere, has overturned the house arrest order against Elisabetta Bonsignore, a special prosecutor for Sea, a company that manages the production and distribution of electricity in Favignana. The measure was issued by the judge of the Trapani court. The case concerns the latest anti-mafia operation carried out by the carabinieri of the Trapani provincial command, assisted by colleagues from Palermo in recent weeks.

During that operation, the illegal pact between some entrepreneurs and Bonsignore (who was under house arrest) was revealed. According to investigative findings, the woman would have received or accepted money in exchange for the assignment of some contracts to Omnia” by Antonino Putaggio (also under house arrest).

Now, the Riesame has overturned the decision against Bonsignore, who, through her lawyers, Massimo Motisi and Cinzia Calafiore, appealed the judge’s order at multiple levels, both regarding the admissibility of interceptions and the configuration of the crimes that were contested, namely corruption and bid-rigging.

The Riesame also overturned the measures for the Trapanese Natale and Giovanni Onofrio Beltrallo, aged 30 and 57 (the former was under house arrest, the latter in prison), who are suppliers of the fuel transportation service for the power plant that powers the Sicilian island. They are represented by lawyers Roberto Tricoli Daniela Noto and Luigi Miceli. Bonsignore and the two Beltrallo are under investigation for corruption and bid-rigging. According to the Palermo prosecutor’s office, the entrepreneurs would have obtained the contract from the company managing the power plant in Favignana by repaying Bonsignore with cash and gifts.