Former policeman Gheorghe Cotorobai, a defendant in the murder case of Ana-Maria Guja, a 19-year-old, six months pregnant woman from Orhei who was found dead in a locality in Telenesti district this April, will stand trial. He faces 15 to 20 years in prison or life, IPN reports.

The case was sent to the Orhei Court. The prosecutors accuse Gheorghe Cotorobai of kidnapping the young woman from a public transport station. After they traveled for a while through the town, he put her in the trunk of the car, then changed the direction of travel and transported her to his home in Telenesti district. The young woman was raped. In the morning of the next day, she was taken to a forest strip in Telenesti district and beaten, including in the head, until she died.

According to the forensic examination report, the defendant was declared competent to stand trial. He did not suffer from chronic mental illnesses or personality disorders.

At the request of the prosecutors, he will remain in preventive detention so as to exclude all risks in the administration of justice.