Sentence in the NAC and APO case: Former head of Chisinau Customs sentenced to prison and fined 400,000 lei

The Chisinau Court, Buiucani, pronounced the sentence of conviction against a former employee of the Chisinau Customs Post, who held the position of interim head, for committing the crimes of influence peddling and active corruption.

The court found her guilty of committing two episodes of influence peddling and two episodes of active corruption and ordered, through partial cumulation of the sentences, the application of a prison sentence for a term of 2 years, with the conditional suspension of the execution of the sentence for a probationary period of 3 years, a fine in the amount of 400,000 lei, as well as the deprivation of the right to exercise public functions for a period of 5 years.

The seizure of the defendant's assets was maintained to guarantee the execution of the fine.

The court rejected the state prosecutor's request for the application of special confiscation and extended confiscation.

According to the evidence administered by the National Anti-corruption Centre, jointly with the Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office, the defendant, in October 2022, holding the position of interim head of the Chisinau 1 Customs Post of the Customs Service, allegedly claimed to have influence over public figures within the same customs post and allegedly received from a customs broker the amount of 6,000 US dollars, to influence the customs inspector in whose management the customs declaration of an economic agent was located, to facilitate the import of goods without paying the corresponding amount of taxes.

Also, during the same period, the accused allegedly promised and offered a customs inspector of the Chisinau 1 Customs Post of the Customs Service financial means in the amount of 200 US dollars, so that he would adopt a favourable decision for an economic agent regarding a customs declaration under her management. The said financial means were previously received by the accused from an employee of the Risk Analysis Section of the Central Customs Office of the Customs Service, who was acting in the interest of the economic agent.

Also, in November 2022, she allegedly promised and offered an inspector of the Integrity and Supervision Directorate of the Customs Service the amount of 1,000 US dollars, to ensure protectionism and to tolerate possible acts of corruption committed in the course of duty.

The state prosecutor is to decide on the appropriateness of challenging the sentence with an appeal to the Central Court of Appeal, within 15 days.

Note: A person accused of committing a crime benefit from the presumption of innocence until a the final court conviction is pronounced.