Italy’s prime minister has himself been involved in several sex scandals and is said to have arranged the sending of the escorts to an opponent of Mr Gaddafi’s as a favour to the Libyan leader.
Col Gaddafi was the surprise choice as leader of the 53-nation African Union in February 2009 much to the unease of countries such as Tanzania and Nigeria.
Details of how the escorts were provided were revealed by Nuri Al Mismari, a former close aide of Col Gaddafi’s, in an interview with Arab newspaper Ashaeq Al-Awsat in Paris.
Mr Al Mismari was Gaddafi’s diplomatic chief for 35 years before he left Libya last year and went into exile in Paris.
He told the Arab newspaper that an unidentified African leader was opposing the election of Col Gaddafi but the situation was “resolved with an unorthodox solution.”