Former Italian PM Berlusconi acquitted in corruption case - News - Evening Standard
       

Former Italian PM Berlusconi acquitted in corruption case

The former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was acquitted of corruption today by a Milan court.

"The crime does not exist and he did not commit the crime," the presiding judge said.

Italy's richest man, owner of broadcaster Mediaset <MS.MI>, was first acquitted in 2004. A law introduced by his government meant he could not be retried but it was ruled unconstitutional earlier this year, giving prosecutors a green light to appeal.

Berlusconi, head of the centre-right opposition, was accused of bribing judges to stop the sale of food group SME to a rival businessman in the 1980s. Facing a five-year jail term, he had called the accusations against him "completely unfounded".

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