A judicial review board on Tuesday revoked the house arrest ordered for the wife of former justice minister Clemente Mastella but said she could not leave not leave her town of residence, Ceppaloni in the province of Benevento.
The court's decision went against the recommendation of the public prosecutor who had said all restrictions on her movements should be lifted.
Sandra Lonardo, who is speaker of the Campania regional assembly, was placed under house arrest two weeks ago in connection with a political corruption probe in the Campania region.
It was later learned that Mastella was also under investigation and he subsequently resigned, after lashing out at ''extremist fringes in the judiciary'' in a speech before parliament.
Although he at first promised to remain loyal to the center-left government of Premier Romano Prodi, Mastella later pulled the support of his small Udeur party and brought about the governments downfall.
Now that she is no longer under house arrest, Lonardo does not run the risk of having her seat and position in the regional assembly revoked.
A preliminary hearings judge si set to hear the case before Sunday and may decide to lift all restrictions on the ex-minister's wife.
Lonardo and Mastella are suspected of conspiring with others, including their son's father-in-law Carlo Camilleri, to force the appointment of members to positions in the regional health system and other public agencies.
Lonardo was one of 19 people placed under house arrest, while four others, including Camilleri, were ordered to be taken to jail. Camilleri, however, fell ill and is in hospital under police guard.
In related developments, Judge Ugo De Maio of the Campania regional administrative court, municipal policeman Luigi Treviso and Benevento Prefect Giuseppe Urbano were suspended from their posts for their alleged involvement in political favor peddling.
