Vatican court orders partial retrial in Cardinal Becciu case

A Vatican appeals court on Tuesday ordered a partial retrial in a landmark case that led to the conviction of a high-ranking Catholic cardinal for embezzlement, undermining the work of prosecutors after nearly five years of hearings.

The court said the verdict against Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu in connection with a botched $200 million real-estate deal in London was flawed because of procedural errors by prosecutors.

Judges said prosecutors had failed to provide the defendants with complete files and had misclassified some material, depriving them of due process. The court ordered a partial retrial but said some of the original rulings would stand. The first hearing in the new proceedings is scheduled for 22 June.

Angelo Becciu, the highest-ranking church official ever to stand trial before the Vatican’s criminal court, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison on several charges in December 2023. He denies the allegations, remains at large for the time being and is appealing the conviction.

(reuters, im)