"Cold Case" Sargonia Dankha:
first-instance verdict issued for the case reopened by Francesco Rubino

Thanks to the dedicated efforts work of our Francesco Rubino and his team - specializing in Corporate Criminal Liability but also dealing with vulnearable subjects - Sargonia Dankha's family has finally obtained justice for the tragic disappearance of the young 21-year-old Iraqi naturalised Swedish girl, who disappeared in 1995 in Linköping, Sweden. Our Firm's international connections played a crucial role, as three years ago Francesco was contacted by the victim's family and succeded in opening proceedings at the Court of Imperia.

On December 15, the Court of Imperia sentenced Salvatore Aldobrandi, the victim's ex-boyfriend, to life imprisonment for voluntary manslaughter aggravated by abject motives. This sentence represented a significant international achievement, as it overcame the jurisdictional limitations of Swedish law, which had previously prevented the case from being reopened due to the absence of the victim's body.

After the verdict, our Lawyer told the Corriere della Sera: «I am extremely satisfied with the court's decision and the work we have done. I stand with the family, who after 29 long years have finally achieved justice for Sargonia. Italian justice succeeded where the Swedish system was constrained by procedural limits. Although recidivism was not acknowledged - as it should have been - the culprit will still go to prison, which, after 30 years, was by no means a guaranteed outcome. The strength of the evidence gathered and the absence of an alternative lead convinced the court. Our legal system as it is structured has recognised that Sargonia was murdered in the context of a controlling and possessive relationship, one in which her freedom was systematically curtailed by a man who viewed her not as a person, but as an object at his disposal. And this is why the aggravating circumstance of number 61-1 of the penal code, i.e. abject motives, was recognised by this court to declare life imprisonment for Aldobrandi. Otherwise the crime of murder would have been time-barred, as more than 28 years had passed. This is an extraordinary sentence, as it establishes that this was not just a murder but a crime committed by a deeply violent individual responsible for other serious offenses».

Our Founding Partner, Stefano Morri, also shared his thoughts on the case: «I join in expressing my solidarity with Sargonia's family, who have finally seen justice served for such a heinous crime. Our firm committed itself fully to this case - which arose almost by chance from Sweden, a country with which we maintain important relationships. We poured all our energy into it, driven by a work methodology rooted in humility, determination, passion for solving the client’s problem, and the rigorous scientific analysis of every legal issue. Special congratulations to our Francesco Rubino and his team for their outstanding work».

The news was covered by major local and national media, including Corriere della Sera, which not only reported Rubino’s statement but also provided updates in the days leading up to the hearing on Friday, December 13.

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Media coverage 

National media

Swedish media