Mayor quits after bribery scandal
The mayor of the earthquake-ravaged Italian city of L’Aquila has resigned amid fallout from an investigation into bribes allegedly paid to civil servants to rebuild the city centre, state-run television has reported.
RAI television said Massimo Cialente announced his resignation at a hastily called news conference today, saying he was paying the price for others’ misdeeds.
It came days after police announced that eight people, including Mr Cialente’s deputy, had been placed under investigation in the case. Vice Mayor Roberto Riga said he was innocent, but resigned.
Police said US$500,000 (€365,807) in bribes was paid to public officials to win contracts between 2009 and 2011.
More than 300 people were killed and thousands of buildings in L’Aquila and the Abruzzo region were damaged by the April 6 2009 earthquake.
