Prison threat for Berlusconi
Prosecutor demands five year sentence
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The media mogul-turned-politico was cleared on charges that he bribed Rome judges during a 1980s legal battle with entrepreneur Carlo De Benedetti over a bid for state food conglom SME.
A three-judge panel acquitted Berlusconi on one count and said the statute of limitations had run out on another charge.
Prosecutors and Berlusconi's lawyers both appealed that ruling.
On Monday prosecutor Pietro Depetris asked the appeals court to reverse the acquittal.
But the statute of limitations is expected to go into effect before this court reaches a verdict, as it has several times with Berlusconi's legal woes in the past.
Berlusconi's lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, who reaffirmed his client's innocence, said the next hearing is scheduled for April 20.
Berlusconi is facing two other trials on separate fraud charges in connection with Hollywood content deals done by his Mediaset TV company at allegedly inflated prices.
So far, Berlusconi has stood trial eight times in Italy and been convicted three times before being cleared either on appeal or because the statute of limitations had expired.
