By IANS/AKI,
Milan : Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s trial on charges that he paid for sex with an underage Moroccon dancer was adjourned shortly after it opened in a court here Wednesday.
The court proceedings lasted for about 10 minutes. The three presiding judges had just enough time to hear Berlusconi’s legal team request that the case be transferred to a special tribunal for ministers. Berlusconi did not attend it.
The trial is scheduled to resume May 31.
Berlusconi is accused of paying for sex last year with Moroccan exotic dancer Karima el Mahroug, nicknamed “Ruby the Heart-Stealer”, when she was 17 years old.
He is also being tried for abuse of office in an attempt to cover up the crime.
Paying for sex is not illegal in Italy, but it becomes a crime when the woman is below 18 years of age.
If convicted of abuse of office, he could be jailed for up to 12 years. Sex with underage prostitutes carries a penalty of up to three years behind bars.
Prosecutors have over 800 pages of wiretap transcripts and financial documents which they say contain ‘obvious’ evidence that Berlusconi is guilty of the crimes for which he has been sent for a fast-track trial.
Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing. Both he and Mahroug say they have never had sex.
The prosecution is due to call 132 people to the witness stand. Berlusconi’s legal team has submitted a list of 78 people to testify in their billionaire-client’s defence, including Hollywood star George Clooney and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who the prime minister has expressed interest in acquiring for his AC Milan football team.
Berlusconi is defending himself in four separate trials. On March 28 he briefly appeared in a Milan court where prosecutors targeted him for his alleged part in a fraud scheme at a subsidiary of his Mediaset broadcasting, movie and publishing empire. He says he is innocent in all the cases.