Italy's biggest union joins prosecution of farm owner over death of Indian migrant worker
Italy's main trade union confederation on Tuesday said it was joining the prosecution of a farm owner charged with the murder of an undocumented Indian worker who bled to death after his arm was cut off by a piece of equipment.
Antonello Lovato, 39, has been accused of abandoning the injured and bleeding Satnam Singh, 31, and failing to call an ambulance following the incident in Latina, a largely agricultural province south of Rome, on June 17, 2024. Prosecutors originally considered charging Lovato with manslaughter, but raised it to murder with malice after the fact since he was aware the actions could cause death.
At the opening of his murder trial on Tuesday, Lovato said that 'he lost his head,'' when he saw Singh bleeding. 'I wasn't myself. I didn't want him to die,'' he was cited by the news agency ANSA as saying.
Outside the court, dozens of union members, including Sikh workers wearing turbans, demonstrated against the system of exploitative, underpaid migrant labor in Italy 's agricultural sector, called, 'caporalato.''
'I believe that what happened was apparent to everyone,'' Maurizio Landini, the secretary-general of the powerful CGIL trade union federation, told the crowd. "As is the logic of exploitation known as ' caporalato,' which allows for people to be treated like merchandise, like parts of a machine that can be easily bought and sold for the lowest price. And I insist, that it is this culture that needs to be changed.'
The CGIL is joining the prosecution as civil complainants, Landini was cited by the LaPresse news agency as saying. Under Italian law, parties recognized by the court as injured in the commission of crime can join the prosecution, question witnesses and possibly win damage awards in the case of conviction.
'We think it is important to seek justice, above all to put in motion everything necessary to change the way of doing business so episodes like this can never be repeated,'' Landini said. 'We don't think this is an isolated case. It is a mistake to think this problem can be resolved with this trial. We are worried because the season is starting again.''
The trial continues May 27.
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Scottish Sun
41 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Secrets of the feared mafia family who fled to the UK to escape a life of crime among Sicilian murderers - and serve pizzas in Essex
MOB RULE My brutal family shot rivals & blew up judges in Mafia's most infamous massacre…I'd be dead if I hadn't fled to UK at 12 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HIS family tree is a rogues' gallery of hitmen, murderers and extortionists and were even behind the infamous bombings that killed two Sicilian judges and eight police officers in 1992. And at 12 years old, Riccardo di Cascia Burzotta was being lured into the dangerous underworld of the mafioso. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 15 Riccardo di Burzotta escaped the clutches of the Sicilian mafia Credit: Supplied 15 The Capaci massacre, in 1992, which killed prominent judge Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three guards Credit: EPA 15 Magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino were murdered in the massacres Credit: Getty In his native Sicily, the Burzotta clan are woven into the fabric of the Mafia's most grisly crimes - and Riccardo was being groomed by older cousins into following their criminal way of life. But in a brave move which 'saved his life', his parents fled the Italian island for the UK - starting a new life in Southend on Sea in Essex. 'Before they were even in their teens my cousins were burning down shops to send messages to people who didn't pay their protection money," Riccardo tells The Sun. "If we stayed living in Sicily I would have joined them because I didn't really understand how dangerous it was and I didn't know any better. 'I was born into that life which meant I had little choice but to join the Mafia. 'When I was a kid it was normal for everyone to keep guns in the house for self protection. 'There wasn't much work around, most kids tended to drop out of school early and get caught up in crime. 'My parents feared I'd be drawn to the money and power." Riccardo's parents set up a restaurant business in Southend and he says coming to the UK was "a huge shock.' 'I didn't speak a word of English but suddenly I found myself in an all boys' school in Essex having to eat something disgusting called custard. I could not believe how bad the food was," he says. Italian police arrest Settimo Mineo, the mafia's new 'boss of bosses' in Sicily 'There was a lot of racism towards foreigners back then and I was called every name under the sun and beaten up in the playground almost daily. 'But if I had stayed in Sicily it would have been worse. I'm certain I would have ended up in prison - or dead. "The Mafia is an ugly cancer that destroys families. We needed to get well away before I ended up in prison myself. 'My parents' decision to start a new life in another country saved my life, without any doubt.' 15 Riccardo is from a family linked to murders, terrorism, arson, extortion and corruption Credit: supplied 15 Riccardo landed work in an Italian restaurant in Essex Credit: supplied Deadly family Riccardo has cousins serving time for murders, while other members of his close family have been involved in kidnapping and extortion. Some were also tangled up even the Capaci massacre - a violent terrorist attack in which mafiosi detonated a car bomb that killed the anti-Mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three police guards in 1992. It was one of the most terrifying attacks ever executed by the Mafia and the international outrage it sparked marked a crucial turning point in the fight against organised crime in Italy. But, two months later, it was followed by the Via D'Amelio massacre in Palermo, killing a second judge, Paulo Borsellino, and five bodyguards. The murdered prosecutors had been at the forefront of a crackdown in organised crime in Sicily which led to the notorious Maxi Trial, which ran for six years and saw 19 life sentences handed to crime bosses and a further 338 members of the mob sentenced to a total of 2,665 years. Salvatore 'Toto' Riina - known as 'the Boss of Bosses' - was sentenced to two life sentences in absentia and ordered the assassination of the judges in retribution. He was captured and jailed in 1993 after 23 years as a fugitive. 15 Judge Giovanni Falcone died in the car bomb Credit: Getty 15 Borsellino and five guards died in the second attack Credit: Alamy 15 Sicilian Mafia boss Toto Riina was known as The Beast and The Boss of Bosses Credit: Reuters Riccardo's family also fell foul of Sicily's anti-Mafia crackdown. In 2016, authorities seized over €4 million in assets from Giuseppe Burzotta and his family, including a sitting councillor. But the murders continued. In 2017 Guiseppe Marciano, a known associate of Riccardo's family, was shot in the head. Killers ambushed him in a Fiat Uno and although the car was burnt to destroy any evidence, Marciano's father in law Pino Burzotta - Riccardo's second cousin - was later arrested. If I had stayed in Sicily it would have been worse. I'm certain I would have ended up in prison - or dead. Riccardo di Burzotta Pino's brother Diego Burzotta, a notorious hitman, was already serving a life sentence for the double murder of Giovanni Ingoglia and Salvatore Guccione, killed between 1982 and 1987. He was also sentenced to nine years for Mafia association and for attacking vice commissioner Rino Germanà, who escaped death after a daring chase by the clan's hitmen in 1992. Another cousin, Luca Burzotta, was convicted of Mafia association and Pietro, was acquitted of a similar charge due to contradictory testimony from witnesses. Now a father of four himself, Riccardo has no contact with his Sicilian clan but has revealed the truth about his family's dark past to his own children. 'They were shocked when I told them about my childhood," he says. 'We go back to Sicily for holidays but I never speak to my cousins. "I nod if I see them in the street but that's as far as it goes. 15 Riccardo returns to Sicily but avoids many of his relatives Credit: supplied 15 Any contact with Riccardo's relatives could mean a prison sentence Credit: Supplied 'We've all been warned to stay away from them - any contact could mean an automatic prison sentence. "Many of my cousins have been involved in gambling rackets and extortion, meaning any shops or business that didn't pay them protection money would go up in flames. 'It's too risky to associate with them. It's too risky to associate with my family, Ricardo di Burzotta "I hear about more arrests every day - members of my family and old friends I went to school with, it is beyond me how far they were willing to go. 'I plan to keep my own kids well away from it but I don't hide anything from them. 'They understand their heritage and it's important to teach them the value of who they are but I want them to keep on a straight path and understand that not all Sicilians are mafioso.' 15 As a teenager Riccardo was on the verge of a life of crime Credit: supplied 15 His life in Southend on Sea is free from the stigma of his surname Credit: supplied Food for thought Riccardo's move to the UK, at the age of 12, allowed him to forge his own path away from crime. Although he hated the British weather and could not stand the food, Riccardo kept his head down, stayed out of trouble and did well at school. He helped out in his parents' Italian restaurant in Southend, learnt to speak fluent English and Spanish, excelled at Maths and History, and landed a job in a City stockbroking firm. He said: 'That was like winning the lottery, a real eye opener. 'I was earning great money, travelling the world and loving the fast lifestyle.' Now 48, Riccardo remains on a mission to distance himself from the stigma of his surname. He has retired from finance and is focusing on encouraging entrepreneurial young Sicilians to choose a career in food. 15 Now Riccardo wants to focus on helping entrepreneurs Credit: Supplied 15 A father of four, he wants the next generation to follow a new path Credit: Supplied He says: 'My family's name is a burden, but it's also a responsibility. I want to show that we can choose a different path. 'We can't let the mistakes of our fathers define our children's future. Sicily's youth deserve more than the shadow of the Mafia. 'Change starts at the table. If we can break bread together, we can break the cycle.' Although police are working to dismantle Mafia control in Sicily, investigators warn that intimidation and corruption persist. And the statistics are daunting. Mafia activity has cost Sicily billions in lost economic potential. We can't let the mistakes of our fathers define our children's future Ricardo di Burzotta Anti-Mafia organisations estimate that extortion and racketeering have siphoned off up to two per cent of Sicily's GDP each year. In just one 2018 crackdown, police arrested 58 people from 16 Mafia families, seizing €11 million in assets. The Mafia's stranglehold has deterred investors, stifled innovation, and driven away the island's brightest young minds. Youth unemployment in Sicily stands at a staggering 37 per cent, nearly double the Italian national average. Every year, tens of thousands of young Sicilians leave in search of opportunity, draining the island of talent and hope. A new generation Riccardo believes the antidote to this malaise is teaching entrepreneurial young Sicilians to cook, run businesses, and celebrate their heritage. He hopes to foster a new generation of entrepreneurs through his campaign, Mobster Munch, which aims to munch away Sicily's mobster past and dish out a future built on celebrating food and family. He was inspired to help Sicily's youth by his own grandmother who, amid the violence and secrecy, preserved traditional culinary skills. Although she was a matriarch to mobsters, Leone Malda Burzotta also taught Riccardo how to cook her original Sicilian recipes. 'Sicily's youth deserve to inherit the recipes, the laughter, and the hope my grandmother gave me," added Riccardo. 'Food brings people together. Family gives us strength. 'We can't let the mistakes of our fathers define our children's future.' As part of his campaign he will host pop-up feasts, cooking classes, and food festivals across Sicily and the UK. The message is simple but powerful - every bite is a step away from the Mafia's grip, and a step towards a future built on honest work where crime once ruled.
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Gino D'Acampo's TV return revealed as chef launches new series after being axed by ITV
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GINO D'Acampo's TV return has been revealed, as the chef launches a new series after being axed by ITV. The former This Morning star had been lying low since being removed from ITV programming in February. 3 Gino D'Acampo's TV return has been revealed, as the chef launches a new series after being axed by ITV Credit: Rex 3 Gino is set for a telly return too, with a show named An Italian In Malta Credit: Rex In February, Gino was accused of sexually inappropriate behaviour over 12 years and ITV has vowed not to use him in future. The married dad of three denies the claims. In May, his restaurant chain was saved when Upmarket Leisure — the company controlling the five venues — was bought out of administration — in a £5million deal that saved 400 jobs. Now, Gino is set for a telly return too, with a show named An Italian In Malta. Gino will embark on a travelogue to the Mediterranean island, and it will air in September. Of the new show, Gino told the Mirror: 'The idea is to show everyone all over the world a bit about the country - I want to find the perfect restaurant, the perfect recipe, the perfect spot, I will speak to the local people, what they cook and how they cooked 200 years ago.' And the TV chef has another project quietly going on in the background too - an acting project in Ireland. Gino will be playing the part of a mechanic for the scripted role, and continued to tell the publication: 'I am playing a part in a series, my part is this Italian-American mechanic that is always in trouble with the police or always in trouble with the law and then he became a mechanic and he's helping the main character in the show. 'This is acting now, I'm not becoming a real mechanic, I'm useless at stuff like that.' The Sun has contacted Gino's representative for comment. Gino D'Acampo makes string of smutty remarks during radio interview as he returns to public eye following ITV axe His TV return comes after he made a smutty return to the public eye — by making lewd comments about women. The Italian, 48, said during a radio interview that men do not like skinny women — as they want to have 'things to grab'. Responding when one of the presenters, named Nicole, said that she regularly dieted, he said: 'Only dogs like bones. 'A real man, he wants the meat, you know, the things to grab. Don't get too skinny, otherwise it's like, no.' During the interview he also said: 'I'm going to tell you a secret, Italian food is like Italian men, minimum effort, maximum satisfaction.' He added during the show last Wednesday: 'Now do you understand that Nicole, or do I need to explain that?' She replied: 'I think it was very clear.' Later he also told her: 'You're too pretty for radio.' Earlier, asked if he recognised a male guest in the studio, he said: 'Do I know your mum? 'Did I take your mama out for dinner or something? I meet a lot of people and usually the ones I remember are blonde, they're tall — we do an activity together.'
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Keir Starmer in another U-turn with PM set to launch full national inquiry into grooming gangs after months of pressure - as Labour leader admits 'it's the right thing to do'
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