The case in which the former vice president of Ascom-Grup Andrei Bashtovoi is accused of embezzlement will be tried by another panel of judges of the Chisinau Appeals Court, IPN reports. The decision to replace two judges and to name another panel was taken after the prosecution asked that the case should be remitted to the Supreme Court of Justice because the Appeals Court judges Ion Secrieru and Mihail Buruiana are involved in trials related to the examined case. The hearing was postponed.

In the March 18 hearing, Andrei Bashtovoi reiterated that he was not guilty and that the evidence against him was manufactured the Ascom-Grup president Anatol Stati.

“I’m innocent and I must not present evidence of my innocence. It is my opponents who must prove who is to blame,” said Andrei Bashtovoi.

For their part, representatives for Casco Petroleum Ovserseas reaffirmed that the presented proofs were authentic and thus those to blame must be held accountable.

“We presented proofs in the original this time again, while the witnesses for the prosecution earlier confirmed the guilt of Andrei Bastovoi and of the other persons convicted by the common court last yearend. We expect that the high court will examine this evidence, will order paying damages and will punish those involved in this fraud,” said Vitalie Diaconu, general coordinator of Anatol Stati's projects in Sudan.

On March 18, the Appeals Court started to reexamine the case in which the ex-vice president of Ascom-Grup is accused of embezzlement. Last December, Andrei Bashtovoi, his son Valentin and another two former employees of the company were convicted of appropriation while working in Sudan and of making an attempt on Anatol Stati’s life.