Italy PM attends corruption trial

Berlusconi says he wants to prove his innocence

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is due to appear in court to face trial over corruption charges.

Mr Berlusconi, who is a defendant in a total of four trials, says he will attend as many hearings as possible in order to prove his innocence.

The trial starting on Monday concerns one of Mr Berlusconi’s media companies.

Although a series of sex and corruption scandals have taken their toll on his popularity, there’s no immediate threat to his position as prime minister.

In the case being heard on Monday, the prime minister, his son and a number of others are accused of inflating the price paid to buy television rights, and then skimming off the difference to fund political and other activities.

Mr Berlusconi denies the charges.

The 74-year-old prime minister has been a defendant in around 50 trials in his career, but hasn’t made a public appearance at one for many years.

He exercises his right to stay away, accusing the judiciary of being politically biased against him.

But now he says he will turn up at as many hearings as his job permits in order to prove his innocence.

Another reason why he is due to appear in court is that Mr Berlusconi had his immunity from prosecution watered down in January.

As well as this court case, he also faces two other corruption trials and a fourth where he is accused of paying an underage prostitute.

In that trial, Mr Berlusconi faces up to 15 years in jail.

In each case Mr Berlusconi says he’s innocent.

But although the cumulative effect of these sex and corruption scandals have taken their toll on his popularity, there’s no immediate threat to his position as prime minister.

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