Vatican City, 27 April 2016 – Yesterday at 3.30 p.m. a new hearing began in the ongoing trial for the dissemination of reserved information and documents in Vatican City State Tribunal, according to information provided by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. It was attended by the members of the Tribunal (Professors Giuseppe Dalla Torre, Piero Antonio Bonnet, Paolo Papanti-Pelletier and Venerando Marano), the Promoter of Justice (Professors Gian Pietro Milano and Roberto Zannotti), and the defendants Ángel Lucio Vallejo Balda, Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, Nicola Maio and Gianluigi Nuzzi, with their respective legal representatives Emanuela Bellardini, Laura Sgrò, Rita Claudia Baffioni and Roberto Palombi. The defendant Emiliano Fittipaldi was absent, but his lawyer Lucia Teresa Musso was present.

The examination of witnesses began during the hearing, which was dedicated fully to the testimony of the first, Stefano Fralleoni, who was the Accountant General of the Prefecture of Economic Affairs of the Holy See at the time of the events in question. He was interrogated by the members of the Tribunal, the Promoter of Justice and the defendants' lawyers. Finally, the report of the proceedings was read and approved. The hearing was adjourned at approximately 6.45 p.m.

The next hearing will take place on Thursday 28 April at 3.30 p.m., during which the interrogation of admitted witnesses will continue.