A man, investigated in a case of the NAC and APO, was sentenced to 2 years in prison for alleged influence peddling against judges

The Chisinau Court, Buiucani seat, sentenced a man in absentia for committing the crime of influence peddling. The court ordered a 2-year prison sentence and the confiscation of the equivalent of 5,000 euros from his account. The defendant evaded criminal prosecution and trial, and the court ordered the application of the preventive measure "preventive arrest" and the maintenance of the provisions regarding the wanted announcement.

According to the evidence accumulated by the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) and the Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (APO), on March 13, 2021, the defendant allegedly demanded the amount of 5,000 euros from two people, claiming that he had influence over the judges of the Chisinau Court of Appeal. He demanded this amount under the pretext that he could determine the judges to adopt a favourable decision in the case of a detained person. More precisely, the defendant allegedly promised to intervene so that the judges would quash the conclusion of the Orhei Court - by which the preventive measure had been applied - the preventive arrest for 20 days and order the release of the person from arrest.

On the same day, the defendant allegedly accepted and received 2,000 euros of the total amount claimed 5,000 euros from the two people.

The sentence is not final, it can be appealed to the Central Court of Appeal, within 15 days.

Note: The person accused of committing a crime shall be presumed innocent as long as his guilt is not established by a final court decision.