Berlusconi claims girls played ‘burlesque’ games
The former Italian prime minister turned up unexpectedly at his trial in Milan – where he is facing allegations that he paid for sex with an underage prostutute and then tried to cover it up.
Silvio Berlusconi – who denies all charges of wrongdoing – made a rare appearance at his trial in Milan, the first time he has turned up at the court.
During a break in the hearing, Mr Berlusconi told reporters: “In my house there have only been elegant dinners, and after dinner sometimes we went down to the theatre, my children’s former discotheque, where there was an atmosphere of good cheer and affection.”
Earlier this week, Moroccan model Imane Fadil told the court that one of the parties involved young women wearing “black tunics, white veils and crosses”, performing raunchy pole dances and stripping in front of the media tycoon, who is 75. “They started to dance like the nuns of the film ‘Sister Act’, and then they took off their clothes”, she claimed.
In my house there have only been elegant dinners. Silvio Berlusconi
But when pressed about the allegations, Mr Berlusconi insisted: “We had burlesque contests”.
The prosecution alleges that showgirls and wannabe actresses were given gifts and cash in return for taking part in sex games. But Mr Berlusconi has strongly denied the claims, saying he was just helping out young women who needed his assistance. And he said was still supporting those who who had been involved in the case.
“I am maintaining all the girls who have been ruined by the prosecutors, they have been forever dishonoured. Some of them have lost their boyfriend, and maybe they’ll never find another one again,” he said.
Ruby the Heartstealer
Friday’s session heard from police officers who were on duty in May 2010, when a 17-year-old nightclub dancer Karima El Mahroug, better known as Ruby the Heartstealer, was detained for allegedly stealing a 3,000 bracelet from a friend. Her case is at the centre of the trial.
Mr Berlusconi has already acknowledged that he called the police in person to get her released, telling officers she was the niece of the former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. But today, one officer, Georgia Iafrate, told the court they knew Ms El Mahroug was just pretending.
The former premier is facing five criminal trials, including four on charges of corruption and tax fraud. He has always maintained he is the victim of politically biased magistrates. “The trial is just a big media defamation operation against the prime minister”, he insisted.