​SCM PERMITS SEARCHES AT JUDGE OLEG STERNIOALA

The Superior Council of Magistracy gave the permit on arresting and conducting searches in office and housing of Superior Court of Justice judge Oleg Sternioala.

After failure to hold four sittings in a raw, the SCM managed to meet on Tuesday. The long-absent Minister of Justice Fadei Nagacevschi and SCM member (ex-head) Victor Micu came to the sitting, thus ensuring the necessary quorum. Also, the new Prosecutor General Alexandru Stoianoglo participated in the sitting. There were 9 of 12 SCM members at the Tuesday’s sitting.

Seven members of the SCM voted for dismissing Sternioala from the post of SCJ judge. One voted against. The prosecutors’ arguments were considered behind the closed doors.

Sternioala was accused of large-scale money laundering. Being SCJ deputy Chairman, he was detained on November 4 by officers of the Anticorruption Prosecution and the National Anti-Corruption Center. The investigators established considerable difference between the judge’s family revenues and the cost of property they bought in recent years. Thus, they bought the property worth 13.8 million lei, while the revenues accounted for 7 million lei. Earlier, SCJ Chairman Ion Druta was detained on equivalent charges. Later, one more criminal case was started against Druta – on resisting the justice delivery.

At the beginning of the sitting [which was made of 37 issues], Nagacevschi said that the SCM is an important link in the justice system.

“We should consolidate our actions. Only in such a way we can implement the judiciary reform the majority of Moldovan people have long been waiting for”, the minister said.

At the end of the last week, SCM Acting Head Dorel Musteata addressed to Prime Minister Ion Chicu with a request to ensure the presence of the Justice Minister at the SCM sittings.