A lawyer, investigated by the NAC and anti-corruption prosecutors, was sentenced to one year in prison for influence peddling

The Chisinau Court, Buiucani, found a lawyer guilty of committing the crime of influence peddling (art. 326 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code). The court ordered a 1-year prison sentence, depriving him of the right to practice law for a period of 5 years. Until the sentence becomes final, the procedural measure of coercion was applied to the defendant, requiring him to appear at the hierarchically superior court. Also, the seizure applied during the criminal investigation phase on a real estate asset belonging to the defendant was maintained, and the special confiscation of the defendant's account for the benefit of the state of the equivalent of 1,000 euros was ordered.

According to the evidence accumulated by the NAC and APO, the defendant allegedly demanded and received from the informant, in March 2023, monetary means in the amount of 1000 euros, claiming that he has influence over the judges of the Chisinau Court, Buiucani headquarters, in order to determine them to adopt a favourable decision in resolving issues regarding the execution of the sentence in the event of the existence of other unexecuted decisions, if this was not resolved when the last decision was adopted, namely to establish a lower final punishment for the informant. Previously, the lawyer was found guilty of similar crimes, but acquitted of criminal punishment in connection with the intervention of the statute of limitations.

The sentence can be appealed to the Centre Court of Appeal within 15 days from the pronouncement.

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