Vatican city police conducted a raid on the department in charge of the maintainance and restoration at the St Peter’s Basilica, seizing the documents and also the computers for an investigation into the corruption that is suspected, Aljazeera reports.
The raid was identical to one in last October that had the involvement of another investigation into a separate department over the buying of a building in a posh area located in London.
A statement from the Vatican press office said the material was seized from the technical and administrative offices of the Fabbrica di San Pietro. It traces its origins to the 15th century, even before the construction of the current basilica began. Vatican magistrates ordered the raid following a tip from the office of the general auditor, the statement said, without giving details. It said Pope Francis appointed a commissioner to run the department temporarily.
The commissioner was tasked with reorganizing the department and updating its statutes in the wake of a June 1 papal document that introduced sweeping new rules for procurement and spending to reduce the risk of corruption in awarding contracts.
The statement specifically mentioned the new rules, which suggested Tuesday’s raid may have something to do with the awarding of a contract. The department is currently overseeing the restoration of the basilica’s dome, which recently has been partly covered by scaffolding.
Previously anticorr.media reported, that Fraud of Sistine Chapel choir leaders investigated in Vatican. two choir directors were accused of using concert funds for personal purposes. The choir, consisting of young men and adult men, was founded in 1471 and is considered the oldest in the world. It consists of 20 adults – the first six tenors, five second tenors, four first basses and five second basses – and about 30 soprano and contraltos boys. Choristers sing in all papal masses, and also travel the world, speaking at concerts.
