|
Attel, The Public Prosecutor's Office of Lugano indemnifies Mr. Cerina.
When a miscarriage of justice occurs, the judge has to pay for it or, rather, the organisation of justice pays in his place. Such a case took place in Switzerland, but even there an event like that is not to be considered as routine business, for no precedents of similar events have been recorded, not in recent times anyway.
Banker Fabrizio Cerina, president of the Crédit des Alpes group (a private bank with its offices in Geneva and in Lugano, which also controls several food enterprises in California, Argentina and in Italy), has obtained a compensation for damages from the Public Prosecutor's Office of Lugano.
A few years ago, Mr. Cerina and Attel, an investment trust of the group, were made the object of an unjustified investigation because of a series of incidents which in fact had caused no harm to the clientele. The case was then immediately dismissed because there were no elements of a crime.
Cerina, however, far from being satisfied with the simple dismissal of the case, fought to have all his own as well as Attel's rights - which he considered had been trespassed upon - recognised.
Judge Rusca, of Lugano, found that Mr. Cerina was right and acknowledged the mistake made by the Public Prosecutor's Office, deciding that nominal damages of one Swiss Franc were to be indemnified and 39 thousand Swiss Francs (approximately 50 million Lire) were to be reimbursed as legal costs, which amount Mr. Cerina has assigned to a charitable institution. |
|
(click here to enlarge)
Milano Finanza
11/07/96 |
