A Sicilian court postponed an appeal today against the 1999 acquittal of former prime minister Mr Giulio Andreotti on charges of involvement with the Mafia.
The appeals court said it had adjourned the trial until October 11th because it had more urgent appeals to consider.
Mr Andreotti, who had stood accused of being the Mafia's godfather inside government, was cleared two years ago for lack of proof after a sensational four-year trial.
Mr Andreotti (82) a life senator and seven-times prime minister, did not attend the morning's hearing. He sent a letter to the court excusing himself because of his involvement in the campaign for a general election to be held on May 13th.
Once the leading light of the Christian Democrat Party, he is now a member of a newly created centrist Roman Catholic party called European Democracy that is contesting seats in the election.
"On reflection, I think at this particular political moment [my presence] would attract a different type of attention from previous years when I was able to come down to Palermo for my hearings . . . without creating a fuss," Mr Andreotti wrote in a letter read by his lawyer, Mr Franco Coppi.
Much of the prosecution evidence against Andreotti was based on uncorroborated testimony from Mafia turncoats whom Mr Andreotti accused of trying to settle old scores against him by lying in court.
The most shocking allegation against Mr Andreotti was that he once exchanged a kiss of respect with Salvatore Toto Riina, the Sicilian Mafia's boss of bosses and then Italy's most wanted man. Riina is now serving a life sentence.