Mafia boss flees police despite his claim he is 'blind'

A MAFIA Godfather suspected of gunning down six rivals in a bloody Mob hit yesterday escaped from police by running down a dark sewer – despite claiming he is blind.

Giuseppe Setola, 38, is among Italy's Ten Most Wanted and is said to be in charge of a criminal empire that controls drug running, prostitution, extortion and arms. Police named him as the prime suspect in the shooting of six Africans in what was described as one of the largest and bloodiest "group massacres" in clan wars in recent years with more than 100 shots fired.

But Setola wrote a letter to his local newspaper in which he denied responsibility and claimed he was blind in one eye – he even sent in photograph of himself with dark glasses to prove the point.

But yesterday his sight seemed to have made a recovery as dozens of armed officers raided a house in Trentola Ducentra, in which he was hiding with his wife but he managed to escape via a tunnel into the sewer.

Armed officers gave chase in the darkened tunnels but Setola was able to outrun them and he surfaced through a manhole cover where he then took off in a waiting car.