The Chisinau/Buiucani Court rejected the prosecution’s request for a 30-day extension of the arrest warrants for Dorin Damir and Valeriu Cojocaru in a case that involves alleged abuses at the infamous Directorate Five, now a disbanded police division suspected of dealing with politically-motivated cases.

Both Damir and Cojocaru are believed to be cronies of the former Democratic Party leader, the fugitive oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc.

Damir, the boss of a mixed martial arts organization, has been released from remand to a 30-day house arrest. Cojocaru, formerly the Chief Police Inspector of Balti, has been given 60 days of house arrest.

The court has only handed down the operative part, leaving the justification part for a later date. This prevents the prosecution from appealing immediately.

Damir and Cojocaru have been in custody since July 2021.