One of Italy's most prominent police officers has been arrested and charged with the murder of a suspected criminal.

Prosecutors allege that the police chief of Milan, Francesco Forleo, fired a shot from a police helicopter, killing the man on a boat below.

The victim was a suspected trafficker of illegal immigrants, and it's alleged that Mr Forleo was attempting to cover up police complicity.

An earlier investigation into the incident cleared him of any wrongdoing.