Taranto – The Taranto Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested house arrest for former Ilva CEO Lucia Morselli, former plant director Alessandro Labile, and environmental inspector Francesco Astorri. The investigation centers on emissions from the steel mill between 2019 and 2024 that are suspected of being harmful to the environment. An investigating judge has yet to rule on the requests; house arrest has therefore not yet been ordered.
In total, the investigation involves 28 individuals and five companies. The prosecution also requested occupational restrictions against ten individuals. It accuses eight defendants of forming an association to commit crimes against the environment, public safety, and public administration. All defendants are presumed innocent.
Ex-Ilva: Judge Reviews Request for House Arrest
According to investigators, the company’s management at the time is alleged to have maximized production and profits at the expense of environmental protection. The proceedings also concern allegedly manipulated inspections. Astorri was responsible at the state environmental agency ISPRA for the assessment and monitoring of facilities of national strategic interest. He was thus part of the environmental oversight body and not part of the steel company’s management.
The investigating judge in charge of the case, Francesco Maccagnano, must review the measures requested by the public prosecutor’s office. The defendants have already been served with notices regarding a preliminary judicial hearing. This procedural step does not entail a conviction or a decision regarding the requested restrictions on their freedom.
