As Italy slides further into the throes of a pernicious economic depression, all eyes are instead on the trial of Ruby Rubacuori, an exotic dancer brought to court to testify against her 'benefactor', Berlusconi.
In fact, the young woman had testified previously that Mr. Berlusconi had paid her the princely sum of 170,000$ for her 'services'.
The trial itself is a trial that pins the aging ex-premier against the young dancer, via the application of a protective law that aims to punish people such as Berlusconi for allegedly having sex with a minor, as Ruby was at the time of the scandal, and of contributing to the corruption of the same by involving her in what was a networks of 'girls' that plied their trade with the premier and his coterie of friends.
What the court in fact is doing through this case, is trying to protect the rights of the young girl. Evidence was collected to prove that she had been exploited sexually when she was still a minor. But more importantly, was the premier's role as accessory to a crime and collusion in obtaining the release of the girl when she was incarcerated for a small theft by telling the police that the girl was the niece of then head of Egyptian state, Hosni Mubarak.
Either way, the case is one in which, if the witness Ruby recants, the case could very easily fall apart. And that is exactly what Ms. Rubacuori is trying to do.
Although her real name is Karima al Mahroug, the young girl is known worldwide by her nickname. And whether or not she lied to the prosecutors who have operated to bring this case to court, her recanting will be a crime in itself.
But even if she is found to have perjured herself, that is if her lies stick, at lest in the people's consciousness, it will enhance the already loud opposition to Berlusconi's prosecution, which is seen as a 'wide ranging' conspiracy to block the premier from running again.
The young lady also apologized for her 'lying' saying that she said all that she said to the prosecutors because she wanted to boast to her friends of her gifts and position within the ring of friends who visited Berlusconi's house. It remains to be seen what motivated the girl's prior statement, or its recanting. To listen to the prosecutors, her testimony might not be needed to prosecute the case to its end.
In the meantime, the chief prosecutor in the case received a letter with bullets at her home. The letter also included written threats.
Source : BBC 5.25.13
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