JUDICIAL CONTROL OVER 2 CORRUPTION SUSPECTS EXTENDED

The panel of judges of the Court of Chisinau (Buiucani office), made of judges Aureliu Postica, Eugeniu Beselea and Veaceslav Cernolev, ruled on Wednesday to extend the judicial control over two suspects within the case on corruption in courts.

According to the decision, judge of Liubovi Brinza of the Chisinau Appeals Court got an extension of judicial control for 30 more days, while judge Svetlana Tizu of the Court of Chisinau (Centru office) – for 19 days.

Brinza was absent from the hearings under the pretext of poor health. Other two suspects also have health problems – Chisinau Appeals Chamber judge Galina Moscalciuc and judge Victoria Hadirca of the Court of Chisinau (Centru office). The first was hospitalized to the State Chancellery hospital, the second got permit to undergo medical treatment abroad.

Judges accused of corruption within this case flatly refused to talk to press before the hearing.

In October 2018, prosecutors conducted a series of searches in cabinets of Chisinau Appeals Chamber judges, in the Centru office of the Court of Chisinau, the Chisinau Prosecutor’s Office, as well as in suspects’ houses.

The case on judge bribe-taking was started back in August at the insistence of Prosecutor General Eduard Harunjen. According to the investigation, the suspect judges on preliminary conspiracy with a number of other officials created a scheme of issuing favorable decisions in exchange for money. They were charged with abuse of power, passive and active corruption.

In total, 10 people are investigated within the case, among which 5 judges (one retired), a lawyer, a doctor and two physical persons. The verdict in relation to the doctor Vadim Scarlat was already issued – he has to pay a fine worth 2300 conventional units (115 thousand lei).