NISCEMI - The Caltanissetta (a comune in central Sicily) Police Force have detained nine people for offences related to the mafia and corrupt election votes, police said Thursday. This happened after the shocking events of the local elections, which saw members of mafia clan “Cosa Nostra” from both Niscemi and Gela, a nearby town in the comune, meet to discuss political-mafia agreements. 

 Allegedly attending the meeting were also politicians and former directors of the municipality including Francesco La Rosa, the police said. La Rosa had been a mayorial candidate before losing to Massimiliano Conti on Sunday. The ex-mayor, along with a former municipal councillor and two more of his entourage, have been put under house arrest in handcuffs. Also present was Alessandro Barberi, Gela’s mafia boss, who had been in prison for a long time previously. 

 According to investigators, La Rosa had made “a pact with Cosa Nostra in the 2012 elections”. Marzia Giustolisi, the head of the mobile squad, explained to the AGI (Agenzia Giornalistica Italia) that this win would most probably have affected the local administrative activity in recent years, perhaps even extending until today. 

 The arrested include Giancarlo Lucio Maria Giugno, 59, in the district of Terni; Salvatore Ficarra, 47; Francesco Spatola, 53; Francesco Alesci, 48; Francesco La Rosa, 54, former mayor of Niscemi; Calogero Carlò Attardi, 31, former municipal councillor for La Rosa; Giuseppe Attardi, 54, entrepreneur; Salvatore Mangione, 47, and Giuseppe Mangione, 44, both associates of the former mayor. 

 Precautionary custody orders for mafia crime offences and political-mafia electoral exchanges have been issued by the Gip (Giudice per le indagini preliminari, or Judge for Preliminary Investigations) at the Caltanissetta Court, under the request of the Dda, Direzione distrettuale antimafia, or District Anti-Mafia Directorate. 

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