Trial at the Vatican
(Vatican Radio) The trial of
three former Vatican employees and two journalists resumed this week at the
Vatican. The five defendants are charged with acquiring and publishing
confidential documents of the Holy See.
Monday’s session of the
so-called “Vatileaks 2” trial saw testimony from Monsignor Lucio Ángel Vallejo
Balda, former secretary of the Prefecture of Economic Affairs, who is accused
of giving confidential information to journalists.
Under questioning from the
prosecutor and the presiding judge, Monsignor Vallejo Balda admitted to leaking
documents and providing email passwords to the journalists. He said he was
sometimes asked for documents, and sometimes had offered them spontaneously,
but claimed he never handed over hard copies or more important documents.
Referring to witness
testimony, the prosecutor, known as the Promoter of Justice, accused Vallejo
Balda, with his assistant Nicola Maio and laywoman Francesca Immacolata
Chaouqui, of forming a kind of “shadow commission” within the prefecture. He
also showed, from conversations on the "Whatsapp" messaging platform,
the relationship between Vallejo Balda and journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and
Emiliano Fittipaldi.
In his testimony the cleric
maintained that the relationship between Chaouqui and himself was initially one
of trust and confidence, but later became one of suspicion. Vallejo Balda said
he felt pressured and used by Chaouqui, who has not yet had a chance to
testify.
During Monday’s hearing, a
letter from Chaouqui was introduced into evidence, in which the laywoman
requested from Pope Francis a dispensation from the "pontifical
secret;" as well as evidence documenting Chaouqui’s pregnancy and the risk
of complications from appearing in the courtroom.
The court also rejected a
request from Nuzzi’s lawyer, who had argued that his client had a legitimate
excuse for not attending the hearing.
Testimony in the trial will
continue on Tuesday.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét