ROME--The investigation into Tiziano Renzi, the father of the former prime minister of Italy, Matteo Renzi, took three hours on Friday. He is being investigated for the selling of influence within the Consip, the body that allocated government funds to contractors. The lawyer Federico Bagattini is defending the accused in an investigation headed by the prosecutor Federico Bagattini. He had to answer questions on his alleged role in using his power to influence those in charge of the allocation of public money to favour the Neapolitan entrepreneur Alfredo Romeo. The entrepreneur had been arrested for bribery to gain contracts from Consip.

 The crime he is accused of is illegal trafficking of influences and the crime punishes illegal forms of remuneration. In the case of Tiziano Renzi, the prosecution is referring to the promise of bribes that made up what was close to a monthly salary that he would receive in exchange for the abuse of his relationship with the CEO of Consip. Renzi senior is reported to have answered every question asked of him.

 He rejects these accusations; whole heartedly saying, “I never asked for money and I never received any. Never. I want the truth to come out and I welcome questioning. I have nothing to hide and am living a nightmare.”

 On Friday evening Matteo Renzi seemed to insinuate that his father was innocent by saying, “In the past the parent of a politician under investigation would been hushed up but I not like that. I believe that all people should be treated equally. If my father has committed some sort of crime I just wish that the process is completed quickly. Moreover he should be punished more severely in order to set an example.

 The interrogation and question of Carlo Russo, a man who is also under investigation for bribery in order to win Consip contracts and alleged to have had an understanding with Tiziano Renzi, has also come to an end. As he left the Florence carabinieri regional command centre, where he had been questioned by representatives from Rome and Naples he declined to comment.