The commission has identified Mussari as the instigator of Rossi’s murder, without even hearing his side of the story

First the public crucifixion, then the hearing. The method used by the parliamentary committee of inquiry into the death of David Rossi to publicise the findings of its work is unworthy of a civilised country – it cannot be described in any other way. The committee’s chairman, Gianluca Vinci, announced yesterday that “based on the evidence gathered, the events leading to David Rossi’s death are believed to involve, in various roles, Giuseppe Mussari, as the instigator of an act of intimidation that was not initially intended to result in David Rossi’s death, and Gabriele Ceccherelli, as the person who organised and selected the individuals – as yet unidentified – to carry out the act”In other words, the former Monte dei Paschi manager did not commit suicide but was murdered, and the instigator is believed to be the former chairman of MPS, Giuseppe Mussari, who was consequently immediately pilloried in the media (in fact, from the day before, thanks to a tip-off from the commission of inquiry, which is evidently unable to safeguard the confidentiality of its proceedings).

President Vinci’s subsequent statement was surreal: “The commission, if they agree, intends to hear from the two people who – according to the evidence that has emerged from our investigation – are alleged to have played a role in the circumstances surrounding David Rossi’s death”. In short, rather than hearing the parties concerned – who are accused of extremely serious conduct – before publishing the findings of its own investigation, the commission has chosen first to crucify them and then to announce, as if it were a gracious concession, that it is willing to hear them. This is the logic of public shaming, not that of establishing the truth: a form of summary justice in which public condemnation comes even before the cross-examination begins. A logic incompatible with the rule of law.