Today, Friday 22 September at 14.45, in Vatican City State Tribunal, the fifth hearing began in the criminal trial for the misappropriation of funds from the Bambino Gesù Foundation.

The panel of judges (Professor Paolo Papanti-Pelletier, President; Professor Venerando Marano, Judge; and Professor Carlo Bonzano, Judge) was present, as was the adjunct Promoter of Justice, Professor Roberto Zanotti (Professor Gian Piero Milano was absent); the defendants were both present: Giuseppe Profiti, defended by the attorney Antonello Blasi, and Massimo Spina, defended by the court-appointed attorney Alfredo Ottaviano.

The following witnesses were present: Marco Bargellini, Paolo Mennini, Paolo Cipriani and Massimo Tulli. Gianantonio Bandera was absent. At the beginning of the audience the minutes of the interrogation of Giuseppe Profiti on 19 September, already approved, were reread.

The hearing, which ended at 20.35, was entirely dedicated to the questioning of the witness Marco Bargellini by the President, the panel of judges, and the adjunct Promoter of Justice, and then by the defence attorneys. This was followed by the questioning by the attorney Alfredo Ottaviano of the witnesses requested by the same counsel for the defence: Paolo Cipriani, Paolo Mennini, and Massimo Tulli.

The next hearing is scheduled for 2 October at 11.30.