Berlusconi in court to deny underage sex claims

Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi made a rare court appearance to deny some of the more salacious accusations at the centre of a sex scandal that has muddied his reputation.

The former prime minister said he never had sex with an underage Moroccan teen, never paid for sex with any guest at his villa near Milan and denied that “bunga-bunga” parties that he held were in any way sexual.

“The expression ‘bunga-bunga’ comes from a joke that I have repeated many times, and that has been picked up viciously by the media,” said Berlusconi.

He was speaking at his trial where he is facing charges of having paid for sex with Moroccan teen Karima el-Mahroug, better known by her stage name of “Ruby the Heartstealer”, and trying to cover it up.

Berlusconi’s declaration was spontaneous, a practice that Italy allows defendants, and which does not have the weight of sworn testimony.

His lawyers have indicated that Berlusconi does not intend to testify.

Berlusconi said his long history of legal battles, mostly for his business dealings, also discouraged him from taking the stand.

The case is the first involving the three-time former prime minister’s personal behaviour. Berlusconi stepped down last November after failing to persuade financial markets that he could come up with convincing reforms to protect debt-laden Italy from the sovereign debt crisis.

Berlusconi has repeatedly denied the charges in the sex scandal.

In court yesterday, Berlusconi said he “never had intimate relations of any kind” with el-Mahroug. He also said he believed she was 24 based on her own statements and that she was the niece of the then Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

In fact, she was 17 and no relation to Mubarak.

“I can exclude with absolute certainty that there were ever any scenes of a sexual nature” at the Arcore villa, Berlusconi said, noting that his adult children were present at the parties and that he himself “monopolised attention singing, talking about sports, politics, and gossip”.

He also said he never paid for sex with any guest “and my female guests could not be considered escorts; that has damaged their reputations”.

If convicted of the charge of using his influence to cover up a crime, Berlusconi could be barred from public office. That charge stems from calls he made to the Milan police station the night of May 27 and 28, 2010, after el-Mahroug was picked up on suspicion of theft. She was later released without charges.

“I never put pressure on any official with whom I spoke,” said Berlusconi.

“I simply asked for information.”

Berlusconi told reporters in April he had hosted “burlesque games” at his residence.

Prosecutors say dozens of showgirls and aspiring starlets received cash and gifts for taking part in sex games.

Moroccan model Imane Fadil testified before the court in April that at one of the parties young women dressed up as nuns and stripped off while performing raunchy pole dances.

At yesterday’s hearing, Berlusconi again accused magistrates of mounting a politically-driven campaign against him and defended the young women involved in the trial.

“The trial has damaged these girls, and this is the most painful part of it,” he said.