The Presidents of the Territorial Offices of Ungheni and Rezina of a former political party were sentenced to prison for complicity in accepting illegal financing of the political party

The Chisinau Court, Buiucani, today pronounced the sentence of conviction against the Presidents of the Territorial Offices of Ungheni and Rezina of a former political party, declared unconstitutional, for committing the crime of complicity in knowingly accepting financing of the political party from an organized criminal group.

The court imposed a 4-year prison sentence, suspended for a 3-year probationary period, on the President of the Territorial Office of Ungheni. The special confiscation of the money used or intended for the commission of the crime, in the amount of 3,213,901.98 lei, was ordered from her account, for the benefit of the state.

The President of the Rezina Territorial Office was sentenced to 4 years in prison, of which 2 years to be served in a semi-closed prison, and the remaining 2 years – suspended, for a probation period of 2 years. In his case, the preventive measure “obligation not to leave the country” was replaced with the preventive measure “preventive arrest”, and he was announced as wanted. The defendant’s account was specially confiscated, for the benefit of the state, of the equivalent of the money used or intended for the commission of the crime, in the amount of 1,932,830.04 lei.

Both were deprived of the right to hold positions and to exercise administrative and financial management activities within political parties, for a period of 5 years. The seizure of their assets was maintained.

According to the evidence administered by the NAC, APO and SIS, the defendants, acting as presidents of the Ungheni and Rezina Territorial Offices, knowing that the party was financed by an organized criminal group, together with other members of the party, would have contributed to the acceptance of this illegal financing.

Thus, the defendants would have accepted, through complicity and consciously, the receipt of funds in the amount of over 5.1 million lei, originating from illegal activities and used to finance the party's activities, including for organizing protests and remunerating participants, with the aim of influencing political processes in the Republic of Moldova and obtaining power through illegal means.

Prosecutors are to decide, within 15 days, whether to appeal the sentence.

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