The well-known boss of the Sicilian mafia Matteo Messina Denarocaptured in January after three decades on the run, died this Monday in a hospital in the center of Italytaking his secrets to the grave.
Messina Denaro, 61, was treated for colon cancer while detained in a high-security prison in L’Aquila, but had to be transferred to hospital last month after his condition deteriorated.
The mayor of L’Aquila, Pierluigi Biondi, confirmed the death of the gangster in the hospital “after the worsening of his illness”in statements to the ANSA news agency, which had previously reported his death.
His death “ends a history of violence and blood”said Biondi, who thanked the prison and hospital staff for their “professionalism and humanity.”
Has been “the epilogue of an existence lived without remorse or regret, a painful chapter in the recent history of our nation,” he added.
Messina Denaro was one of the most ruthless bosses of Cosa Nostra.
He was convicted by the courts for his involvement in the murders of anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in 1992 and in deadly bomb attacks in Rome, Florence and Milan in 1993.
One of the six life sentences against him was handed down for the kidnapping and subsequent murder of the 12-year-old son of a witness in the Falcone case.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said that “no one should be denied prayer”. “However, I cannot say that I am sorry,” he claimed.
“Truth and justice”
Messina Denaro disappeared in 1993 and spent the next 30 years on the run, during which time Italy hunted down the Sicilian mafia.
However, he continued to feature high on Italy’s most wanted list and, over time, became a legendary figure.
On January 16, 2023, he was arrested while visiting a clinic in Palermo, where he was being treated for cancer under a false identity.
He was held in a high-security prison in L’Aquila, central Italy, and continued cancer treatment.
In August, Messina Denaro was transferred to the inmate ward of the local hospital, where his condition worsened in recent days.
The media reported that he was in “irreversible coma” on Friday and that the doctors stopped feeding him and that he asked not to be resuscitated.
Salvatore Borsellin, the brother of Judge Paolo Borsellino, lamented in statements to LaPresse that “His capture will not help in the search for truth and justice.”
Wiretapping
After a routine autopsy, Messina Denaro’s body is expected to be transferred to his hometown of Castelvetrano in Sicily.
But no public funeral or religious ceremony is likely to take place, as police routinely prohibit any rituals for mafia bosses.
After Messina Denaro fled, there was intense speculation that he had gone abroad. But in the end it was discovered that he had remained near Castelvetrano.
The newspaper El Corriere della Sera reported that he could be buried in the family tomb next to his father, Don Ciccio.
Investigators had been scouring the Sicilian countryside for years in search of Messina Denaro, searching for hiding places and intercepting the communications of his family members and friends.
They were heard talking about the medical problems of an unidentified person who had cancer and eye problems. The detectives were sure that the identity corresponded to Messina Denaro.
They used a national health system database to search for male patients of the same age and with a similar medical history and managed to arrest him.
But although his arrest brought some relief to his victims, Messina Denaro always remained silent and even denied that he was a member of Cosa Nostra.
Source AFP
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
