A lawyer from Chisinau was sentenced to a fine of 300 thousand lei for influence peddling, in a case investigated by the National Anti-corruption Centre

The Chisinau Court, Buiucani, found a lawyer guilty of committing the crime of influence peddling, in a case investigated by the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC). The court ordered a fine of 300,000 lei and deprivation of the right to practice law, as well as other activities involving the provision of legal consultancy services for a period of 4 years.

According to the evidence presented in court, accumulated in just 2 months, in October 2018, the defendant demanded and received from a client's relative the amount of 8,000 euros initially, and later another 5,000 euros, in order to influence the magistrates of the Chisinau Court of Appeal, who were to examine the appeal regarding the conclusion of the Buiucani Court, Chisinau municipality, regarding the transfer of a person convicted by a foreign state for the continuation of the execution of the sentence in penitentiary institutions in the Republic of Moldova, with the request to requalify the actions of the convict.

The Criminal Board of the Chisinau Court of Appeal rejected the aforementioned appeal, which is why, in February 2019, the defendant requested and received an additional 1,500 euros, claiming this time that he has influence over the magistrates of the Chisinau Court, Ciocana headquarters, and can favour the application of amnesty with respect to the convict.

Although the defendant pleaded not guilty during the trial, which lasted almost 6 years, the court assessed the evidence and found him guilty. In addition to the fine, the 1,500 euros collected at the time of his arrest, the 13,000 euros obtained for the purpose of committing the crime, and the mobile phone used to commit the crime were confiscated from the defendant's account and transferred to the state.

The court also admitted the civil action and ordered the collection, from the defendant's account, of the equivalent of the amount of 13,000 euros, as compensation for the material damage caused.

The sentence can be appealed to the Central Court of Appeal within 15 days.

Note: A person accused of committing a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision.