Geneticist Giuseppe Novelli, former rector of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, has been fully acquitted. He was indicted in 2019 for attempted extortion and incitement to corruption. The second charge was dropped in the first degree in March 2022, for the first one the scientist had been sentenced by the Rome court to one year and 8 months. Now, on appeal, he is also acquitted for the alleged attempted extortion. "It is the end of an 8-year nightmare," declares Novelli, interviewed today by Il Giornale, Libero, and Il Tempo.
The Case
Novelli recounts the entire case, which started "around 2013 during the full application of the so-called Gelmini law of universities: many universities, at that time, and all over Italy - he explains - made their own regulations to adapt in competitions and recruitments to the new regulations. Among these was the famous article 24 which concerned the 'direct call' of some researchers", to promote new entries "since there had been no competitions for 15 years. I became rector precisely in 2013. Whoever came before me had made a regulation that I had to, at this point, apply".
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The Accusation
However, two researchers, including Pierpaolo Sileri who would later become Deputy Minister of Health, "appealed and an administrative procedure began between the Administrative Court and the Council of State". But "in 2015 the two brought the case to court", with a "report against the representative of the university, which was me". Then the notice of guarantee, the charges, the acquittal from one and the conviction for the other, the appeal, and the acquittal from everything.
The Defense
"I knew I hadn't done anything" and "I always had faith in the judiciary", says Novelli. But now "scars remain", he confesses. "The 6 years in which I was rector", from 2013 to 2019, "were a bit tarnished by ugly accusations". Instead "I am proud of that period: I changed a lot of the university system which I believe remains of great value, and I tell young people not to lose faith in their future". Novelli looks ahead. "On April 8, I will organize in Rome, at La Sapienza, the largest genetics conference in the world, of which I will be president. The greatest scientists will come to talk about DNA in Italy and I am very proud of it. Justice done and let's move on. Now - concludes the former rector - the scars will heal".
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