Searches in the centre and north of the country: the NAC and the Prosecutor's Office of Balti announce the detention of four officials in a case of passive, active corruption and influence peddling
The National Anti-corruption Centre (CNA), jointly with the Prosecutor's Office of Balti, announces the detention of four public figures in several criminal cases initiated for acts of influence peddling, passive corruption and active corruption. Among the targeted officials are an employee of the Balti Territorial Cadastral Service, an office manager of the Public Institution "Real Estate Cadastre" in Chisinau, the interim deputy head of the Architecture and Urban Planning Department of the Balti City Hall, as well as a councillor of the Balti Municipal Council.
According to the case materials, the suspects allegedly created a criminal scheme, with well-defined roles, through which, contrary to legal provisions, permissive acts for various cadastral works were issued. In exchange for these services, the officials allegedly demanded and accepted illicit financial means from individuals and legal entities, the amounts varying between 10,000 and 120,000 lei.
According to the accumulated evidence, the municipal councillor, using his position and invoking influence over public figures within the Balti Territorial Cadastral Service, the IP "Real Estate Cadastre", as well as over some subdivisions of the Balti City Hall, allegedly demanded and received money to facilitate the performance of cadastral works, the registration of property rights in the Real Estate Register, the final acceptance of construction works and the issuance of permissive documents in the field of construction. In turn, the officials within the targeted institutions allegedly organized the performance of cadastral works even in the conditions of identifying deviations from the project, countersigning the documents with previous dates.
Today, the NAC officers and prosecutors from Balti municipality conducted 33 searches at the premises, means of transport and residences of the extras. As a result, monetary means, information carriers and other evidence relevant to the criminal case were seized. Four people were detained for 72 hours and placed in the detention centre.
Criminal investigation actions continue to establish all the circumstances and identify all the people involved. We remind that every person benefits from the presumption of innocence until a final court decision is issued.