(ANSA) - Milan, April 1 - Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi paid witnesses off as late as January 28 this year, according to prosecution documents in the latest bribery trial against the media mogul and 30 co-defendants. The prosecution says it uncovered evidence the leader of the center-right Forza Italia (FI) party made payments to Mariano Apicella - a Neapolitan singer made famous for performing songs written by the ex-premier and former cruise-ship crooner - and entertainer Danilo Mariani. The latter gained notoriety when he told a judge during the so-called Ruby prostitution procurement trial in 2013 that a statue of fertility god Priapus that was passed around at a Berlusconi sex party was "just a bit of fun". Many of the defendants in the current trial were witnesses in an earlier case regarding allegations that Berlusconi paid for sex with a then-underage prostitute called Ruby, a Moroccan whose real name is Karima El Mahroug, during 'Bunga Bunga' parties at his Arcore home near Milan. The media magnate was eventually cleared of those charges on grounds there was no proof he knew Ruby was underage. El Mahroug is among several women now facing trial on charges of taking bribes to keep mum about the sex parties in the original case. Berlusconi is accused of having paid "over 10 million euros" for their silence.

