Contracts for Police Headquarters in exchange for favours, arrest of senior official sought in Genoa
Seven precautionary measures requested in total, preliminary hearings scheduled for tomorrow
Genoa, Police Headquarters contracts in exchange for favours: seven precautionary measures requested
The Genoa Public Prosecutor's Office has requested seven precautionary measures in an investigation into contracts awarded to the Police Headquarters in exchange for gifts, according to ANSA Cronaca. Two requests are for custodial remand in prison, five for house arrest.
In the spotlight of prosecutor Patrizia Petruzziello are public officials and businesspeople who were already searched in October 2024. The alleged offences include criminal association, falsification, corruption, fraud against the State and, in one case, also misappropriation.
The prosecutor has requested prison terms for the former head of the Genoa Police Headquarters and the Prefect's Office Fernando Colangelo and for superintendent Mario Arado. House arrest has been requested instead for businesspeople Caterina Ghio, Marco Deriu, Andrea Badalacco, Giovanni Carbonaro and Paolo Bocconi.
The investigation is part of a broader inquiry into public contracts involving around twenty people, including former public works superintendent Roberto Ferrazza. The proceedings were initiated by a report from the new public works superintendent, who had flagged contracts systematically split up to remain below the 40,000 euro threshold, the limit beyond which a public tender is required.
Subsequent technical investigations and wiretaps allowed the Financial Guard to reconstruct an alleged system of "gifts" — including dinners and fine wines — in exchange for favours in awarding contracts, with inflated prices for the Genoa Police Headquarters, some barracks and the police beach facility.
In the request, signed in September 2025, Petruzziello had highlighted the risk of evidence tampering. Investigating judge Elisa Campagna has nonetheless ordered preliminary hearings for all seven of the investigated individuals, scheduled for Thursday 21 May.
Source: ANSA Cronaca