Berlusconi Facing Verdict in Trial

Silvio Berlusconi, the former Premier of Italy faces a verdict on Monday in his trial of sex-for-hire. Prosecutors are looking to put an end to his political career of two decades by putting him behind bars and banning his participation for life from public office.

Berlusconi, who is 76, was charged with paying a Moroccan teen, who was underage, for sex and then attempting to cover his tracks by making phone calls to police officials in Milan when she had been arrested for alleging stealing. Both the woman and Berlusconi deny ever having had sex together.

Prosecutors have asked the court for a term of six years and a ban for life form public office. Verdicts in Italy can have two appeals and could take a number of months to determine a final result.

At this time Berlusconi does not hold an post officially in the Italian government, but is still very influential in the shaky cross party coalition government that emerged following election in February that were inconclusive.

The charges the billionaire businessman has against him stem from the infamous parties he held in 2010 known as “bunga bunga” at his huge mansion on the outskirts of Milan. In the parties young beautiful women were wined and dined at the time, he was still Premier.

Neither the ex-premier nor the woman Karima el-Mahroug has testified as his trial. She however, did testify at another trial of three aides for Berlusconi that were charged with hiring the prostitutes for the parties.

In that trial, she said showgirls had dressed up as nurses, sexy nuns and even on as President Obama.