Italian court upholds suspended sentence in case linked to Demba Seck probe

The Milan Court of Appeal has upheld a suspended sentence of one year and nine months for a Turin magistrate accused of suppressing key evidence during an investigation involving Senegal international Demba Seck.

The decision places the footballer’s name at the centre of a legal case that has unfolded in Italy since 2023, although Seck himself was ultimately not prosecuted in the proceedings.

The case began in early 2023 when a young woman lodged a complaint following a relationship with the player, who was then contracted to Torino.

She alleged concerns over the possible non-consensual sharing of intimate videos, prompting prosecutors to open an investigation into suspected revenge porn.

As part of the inquiry, investigators examined Seck’s mobile phone to gather potential evidence relevant to the case. During this process, a private video stored on the device was deleted, despite its potential importance to the ongoing investigation.

Italian judges later concluded that the deletion of the material could not be regarded as a minor procedural error.

Instead, the court ruled that it had interfered with the integrity of the investigation by removing evidence that may have been crucial to establishing the facts of the case.

The magistrate involved was therefore convicted and handed a suspended sentence of one year and nine months. In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a temporary ban from holding public office and ordered compensation payments to both the Italian state and the complainant.

While the legal proceedings have focused heavily on the handling of evidence, Demba Seck, who is now with Partizan Belgrade, has not faced charges in relation to the matter.

The ruling by the Milan Court of Appeal confirms earlier findings and brings further closure to a case that has drawn attention due to the involvement of a professional footballer and allegations concerning the handling of sensitive digital evidence within an official investigation.