Giovanni Bonomo
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Bonomo is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was on the "most wanted list" of the Italian ministry of the Interior since 1996 for two murders, drug trafficking and money laundering, and Mafia association, until his arrest in Senegal in November 2003.
in Sicily
. He succeeded Vito Vitale
as the capo mandamento of Partinico after the latter’s arrest in April 1998. He was considered to be the strategical and financial brain of the Mafia clan, and was in close contact with Giovanni Brusca
and Leoluca Bagarella
of the Corleonesi
.
He has been charged with the murder of two men in Partinico in 1994 who defied the rule of the Mafia clan in that town; one of them because he committed robberies in the area without the consent of the Mafia. In 2001, he was sentenced to 6 years for Mafia association.
He acquired substantial wealth, investing in real estate in the center of Palermo, bank shares and the family winery. Assets worth 45 billion lire (23 million euro) were confiscated in 2001.
and South Africa
, where he had been in close contact with another of Italy's most wanted Mafia criminals, Vito Roberto Palazzolo
, who has spent long periods in South Africa and who remains at large.
In 1996 the Italian anti-Mafia police came to South Africa with arrest warrants for Giovanni Bonomo and another Mafia man, Giuseppe Gelardi. The wanted mafiosi were allegedly staying on Palazzolo's Franschhoek estate La Terra de Luc. The estate was raided by members of the South African organised crime unit on June 6, 1996, but Bonomo and Gelardi were not found, although investigators found evidence that whoever had been staying there had left in a hurry.
In November 2003 he was arrested in Dakar
in Senegal, coming from the Ivory Coast. He showed fake documents, but was identified by fingerprints. He was expelled to Italy where he was arrested and incarcerated.
Mafia boss in Partinico
Bonomo was born in PartinicoPartinico
Partinico is a town and comune in the province of Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy...
in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. He succeeded Vito Vitale
Vito Vitale
Salvatore "Vito" Vitale also known as Fardazza is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. For a while he was considered the heir of Totò Riina and was closely connected to Leoluca Bagarella.-Mafia career:...
as the capo mandamento of Partinico after the latter’s arrest in April 1998. He was considered to be the strategical and financial brain of the Mafia clan, and was in close contact with Giovanni Brusca
Giovanni Brusca
Giovanni Brusca is a former member of the Sicilian Mafia. He murdered the anti-Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone in 1992 and once stated that he had committed between 100 and 200 murders but was unable to remember the exact number...
and Leoluca Bagarella
Leoluca Bagarella
Leoluca Bagarella is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. He is from the town of Corleone and was a member of the Corleonesi.-Biography:...
of the Corleonesi
Corleonesi
The Corleonesi is the name given to a faction within the Sicilian Mafia that dominated Cosa Nostra in the 1980s and the 1990s. It was called the Corleonesi because its most important leaders came from the town of Corleone, first Luciano Leggio and later Totò Riina, Bernardo Provenzano and Leoluca...
.
He has been charged with the murder of two men in Partinico in 1994 who defied the rule of the Mafia clan in that town; one of them because he committed robberies in the area without the consent of the Mafia. In 2001, he was sentenced to 6 years for Mafia association.
He acquired substantial wealth, investing in real estate in the center of Palermo, bank shares and the family winery. Assets worth 45 billion lire (23 million euro) were confiscated in 2001.
Fugitive
Bonomo had been at large since 1996. According to police sources Bonomo had been living in NamibiaNamibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, where he had been in close contact with another of Italy's most wanted Mafia criminals, Vito Roberto Palazzolo
Vito Roberto Palazzolo
Vito Roberto Palazzolo is an Italian businessman living in South Africa. Born in Terrasini, he moved to South Africa in the mid 1980s. He also goes by the name Robert von Palace Kolbatschenko. He is alleged to be a member of the Sicilian Mafia, an allegation he denies...
, who has spent long periods in South Africa and who remains at large.
In 1996 the Italian anti-Mafia police came to South Africa with arrest warrants for Giovanni Bonomo and another Mafia man, Giuseppe Gelardi. The wanted mafiosi were allegedly staying on Palazzolo's Franschhoek estate La Terra de Luc. The estate was raided by members of the South African organised crime unit on June 6, 1996, but Bonomo and Gelardi were not found, although investigators found evidence that whoever had been staying there had left in a hurry.
In November 2003 he was arrested in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
in Senegal, coming from the Ivory Coast. He showed fake documents, but was identified by fingerprints. He was expelled to Italy where he was arrested and incarcerated.