Complaint against colleagues Ticino judges throw mud at each other

In Ticino, the dispute within the panel of judges at the criminal court continues. Two judges have denounced three colleagues. A special prosecutor from Graubünden is now dealing with the case.

For months, the panel of judges at the criminal court in Ticino has been engaged in an internal mud fight. It's all about bullying and sexism. The latest chapter: two criminal judges have filed a complaint against their three colleagues, including Mauro Ermani, the president of the Ticino criminal court.

According to the CH-Media newspapers, the accusations are of slander and defamation. The Ticino government has now entrusted an extraordinary public prosecutor with the case - from another canton. The chief public prosecutor of the canton of Graubünden, Franco Passini, is investigating the complaint.

According to media reports in Ticino, the criminal complaint is linked to an alleged case of bullying against a secretary at the cantonal criminal court.

Raunchy WhatsApp messages

Explosive: The criminal complaint that has now been filed includes a picture that court president Ermani is said to have sent to the alleged bullying victim via WhatsApp on February 3, 2023. It shows a woman sitting on a bench between two giant plastic penises. The daily newspaper "La Regione" published the photo.

Previously, salacious messages from Ermani had already been made public. "We've hit rock bottom," commented Fiorenzo Dadò, president of the Center Cantonal Party and president of the Grand Council's Justice Commission, on the latest events.

There have already been isolated calls from politicians for the resignation or suspension of Judge Mauro Ermani. One thing is certain: the matter will continue to be a talking point in Ticino.

With material from the news agency Keystone-SDA

SDA