Mensalão Fugitive Pizzolato Is Arrested Following Italian Justice Decision on Extradition

02/13/2015 - 09h03

Italy's Prosecution Court decided on the extradition of Henrique Pizzolato, representing a u-turn to the win the former marketing director of Banco de Brasil had seen when he was first sentenced for his participation in the mensalão scandal.

He was arrested on Thursday, February 12th.

Now, after the result of his sentence is issued, the Italian Court will have 20 days - that can be extended by another 25 days - to decide whether the Workers' Party member should be returned to his home country, to spend 12 years and 7 months in prison, according to his sentence.

This was a victory for the Brazilian government and a change of course in the case.

Five of Italy's most prestigious judges took the time to evaluate the guarantee that Pizzolato is not tortured and that his life is not put to any risk in the Papuda prison complex in Brazil's capital.

THE OTHER SIDE

Henrique Pizzolato's defence attorney in Italy, Alessandro Sivelli, said on a statement that he heard the decision of his client's extradition in "stupor".

He claims that the decision by the Italian Prosecution court was made without "new facts" being presented.

According to his defence, Pizzolato is willing to be sentenced in Italy for the same crimes he was sentenced to in Brazil: embezzlement, passive corruption and money laundering.

Translated by CRISTIANE COSTA LIMA

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