The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) considers the decision to acquit Judge Gheorghe Nogai illegal and accuses the Causeni Court of protecting corrupt members of the judicial system, IPN reports.

The PGO recalled in a press release that Judge Nogai of the Bender Court of Appeals had been accused of delivering an unlawful judgment that had “grave consequences”. The Anticorruption prosecution service, which requested a 4 years' imprisonment sentence for Nogai together with a 5-year ban from public offices, intends to appeal the acquittal decision.

Nogai was accused in particular of authorizing an illegal takeover of significant stakes in Moldova Agroindbank. Nogai's decision was eventually reversed. On the Prosecutor General's request, the Superior Council of Magistracy agreed to strip Judge Nogai of immunity from prosecution and suspended him from office.

On March 5, the Causeni District Court announced it would deliver a decision in this case on April 9. However, on April 9 the court, for no apparent reasons, postponed the decision until April 25. The PGO says the drag and the eventual acquittal are both indicative of undue protection for judiciary members by fellow judges, this being “a situation which requires a firm response from the authorities”.