Antonio Palumbo, who heads Palumbo Shipyards, has won a lengthy eight-year legal battle in Sicily after the Messina Court of Appeal this week overturned his conviction in a case involving the illegal dumping of waste, the company said in a statement.

Palumbo had been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment in 2019 by a Messina court, which ruled he had facilitated illegal dumping between 2011 and 2013.

Palumbo, who has always maintained that this case was politically motivated, feels vindicated that justice has finally prevailed and that the reputation of the 54-year-old family business remains intact.

“I wish to express my great satisfaction at the outcome of this sentence which has finally re-established the truth in a bitter story that has caused great upset to my professional and personal life,” he said.

Palumbo Group — today boasting an empire of eight shipyards — runs the former Malta Shipyard in Cospicua, a business Mr Palumbo took over in 2010 and completely turned around from a debt-ridden entity to one of the best yards in the Mediterranean.

Palumbo, who in April 2013 was the legal representative of Palumbo Group, was on Thursday acquitted of all charges. Disqualification sanctions against the company were also revoked, the company said.

Palumbo, who was represented by lawyers Giro Sepe and Giulia Bongiorno, said he could finally put this dark chapter behind him and he looked forward to further growing the business which today has an annual turnover of more than €200 million.