Judges in Milan ordered a nationwide hunt for the woman at the centre of Silvio Berlusconi's trial on charges of paying for underage sex after she failed to appear in court on Monday to testify. They ordered the police to look for Karima el-Mahroug and collect information from her family and partner.
The court made its ruling after turning down an application by the prosecutor, Ilda Boccassini, for el-Mahroug to be struck off the witness list so the trial would not be delayed. The prosecution claims Berlusconi committed an offence by paying el-Mahroug, also known as "Ruby the heartstealer", for sexual services when she was still aged 17. Both the 76-year-old former prime minister and el-Mahroug have denied having sex.
The Moroccan-born el-Mahroug was a guest at several of Berlusconi's so-called Bunga Bunga parties at his home near Milan. After his lawyer told the court he had been unable to reach el-Mahroug, Boccassini accused Berlusconi of dragging out the trial so he could not be convicted before the general election expected in February. In the argument that followed, Berlusconi's counsel accused the prosecutor of slandering his client. Last week, el-Mahroug was reported to be in the US.