Genoa bridge collapse: Ex-highway chief gets 12 years

A court in Genoa has sentenced Giovanni Castellucci, the former CEO of Italian highway operator Aspi, to 12 years in prison. This marks the first verdict in the lengthy legal process following the 2018 collapse of a Genoa bridge, which claimed the lives of 43 people. The court convicted Castellucci of negligent homicide, among other charges.

In total, 32 of the 57 defendants faced conviction. Michele Mitelli, Aspi's manager responsible for maintenance, received an 11-year sentence, and former company vice-chief Paolo Berti was sentenced to five and a half years. Prosecutors accused Castellucci of being aware of structural defects since 2009 that contributed to the collapse, alleging he neglected necessary maintenance and disregarded warning signs. Castellucci is already serving a six-year sentence for a separate 2013 bus crash that killed 40 people.

The trial, which spanned four years and included 283 hearings, involved numerous Aspi executives, employees of its subsidiary Spea, and individuals from Italy's infrastructure ministry. Many defendants chose not to testify. The prosecution had sought over 400 years of combined prison time for the 57 accused, citing negligent homicide, endangering traffic safety, and document forgery. Castellucci's defense team, however, argued that a construction error, not poor maintenance, was the cause of the 2018 disaster. The Morandi Bridge's pillar gave way on August 14, 2018, causing a section of the roadway to fall approximately 50 meters.

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The court found him guilty of negligent homicide, among other charges.