The prosecutor’s office of Catania opened an investigation after a university female student denounced an Economy professor, Elio Rossitto, of asking “sexual favours” in exchange for some help with exams. The investigation is being carried out just to verify the facts and no criminal hypothesis has been expressed.

The University of Catania also opened an investigation, decided by chancellor Antonino Recca. The professor, who also teaches at the Kore University in Enna, in the past was the mayor of Cassaro and advisor of many presidents of the Sicilian Region. He was accused of bribery in a trial in Catania, but he was not condemned. He allegedly accompanied a student to a hotel in the city and when he came out he was filmed by a camera crew – from Le Iene, they said – but the video was not shown.

The professor, during an interview with La Sicilia of Catania, said that he “fell into a trap, he was stupid and sexist”, and denies having had sexual intercourse with the student: “we were just in the room for no more than four minutes”.

Translated by Chiara Nunnari from John Milton Institute