MAGISTRATES in Milan said yesterday that a trial in which Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is charged with corruption would resume on December 4.

The ruling stems from a decision by Italy’s constitutional court earlier this month to strip Berlusconi of his immunity from prosecution.

Berlusconi is accused of paying his British former tax lawyer, David Mills, 600 000 (about R4.4 million) to give false evidence in two trials in the 1990s.

Mills, the estranged husband of British Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell, was tried separately and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail over the case in February. Reacting to Friday’s ruling, Berlusconi’s lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, said the premier would be “prevented legitimately”, from appearing in court on December 4 because of a Cabinet meeting set for that day.

Berlusconi has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, alleging he is the victim of a political vendetta waged by “red” or Communist magistrates and prosecutors.

On Thursday evening, top members of the premier’s People of Freedom Party vowed to press on with legislation to reform the country’s judiciary. — Sapa-DPA