An Italian court is expected to rule in the case against 84-year-old ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The politician is suspected of bribing witnesses in an earlier trial.

That revolved around his infamous ‘bunga-bunga parties’ with young women.

Berlusconi’s trial had to be repeatedly postponed. The political party leader Forza Italia has been struggling with health problems for a long time and ended up in the hospital again this month. He is not expected in court on Thursday, but that does not have to stand in the way of a decision. The Public Prosecution Service has demanded more than four years in prison against Berlusconi.

The wealthy and outspoken Berlusconi has been one of the most famous figures in Italian public life for decades. He is measured as one of the country’s wealthiest people and has served as prime minister on several occasions.

The politician ran afoul of the law about a decade ago over an affair that came to be known as Rubygate, named after a young prostitute nicknamed Ruby the Hartenbreekster.

Berlusconi was at first sentenced to seven years in prison. He is said to have paid the underage ‘Ruby’ for sexual services and used his influence to get her unrestricted after she was arrested for theft. Later on, appeal, acquittal followed, but that did not resolve the politician’s legal problems. Justice thinks he bribed witnesses.