Judge in Vatican corruption trial orders prosecution to share more evidence

FILE PHOTO: Trial begins at the Vatican for 10 people, including prominent Italian cardinal Angelo Becciu, who are charged with financial crimes including embezzlement, money laundering, fraud, extortion and abuse of office, at the Vatican, July 27, 2021. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The chief judge at a Vatican trial of 10 people accused of financial crimes, including a cardinal, on Wednesday ordered the prosecution to give the defence more access to evidence and to question defendants who were not given the right to speak earlier.

Court president Giuseppe Pignatone responded to a surprise offer https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/prosecution-vatican-trial-acknowledges-defects-willing-investigate-more-2021-10-05 the prosecution made on Tuesday in which it acknowledged weaknesses in its case and said it was willing to return to the investigative phase to fill in gaps contested by the defence.