The court on March 29 decided to extend the remand detention for former Prime Minister Vlad Filat for another 30 days. The defense considers the court’s decision is groundless because the prosecution didn’t provide new arguments and thus intends to challenge it. When the prosecution witnesses were questioned today, Vlad Filat’s lawyer asked to replace the prosecutor dealing with this case Adriana Betisor, but the court rejected the given request, IPN reports.
Adriana Betisor said that three witnesses for the prosecution were questioned today and these confirmed all the circumstances of the offense. “The witnesses said that money from Banca de Economii was transferred to a number of bank cards and these were offered to the accused as illegal reward,” she stated.
In another development, the prosecutor said that the decision to extend the remand detention was taken including based on messages published on Vlad Filat’s page on a social networking site, by which witnesses in this case are intimidated. Measures are being taken to establish who posted them. A number of letters were also sent to some of the witnesses in secret by the defendant from the penitentiary. The letters contained instructions referring to actions that the lawyers were to take in the interests of the company “Caravita”.
For his part, Filat’s lawyer Igor Popa said the messages posted on a social networking site cannot influence the witnesses. He denied the fact that Vlad Filat sent letters from the prison through the agency of lawyers.
Igor Popa told the press that the witnesses questioned today are employees and business partners of the mayor of Orhei Ilan Shor and these are not credible. One of the prosecution witnesses gave testimony that was different from the depositions made during the investigation. Also, the court rejected another application to make the hearings public. A new hearing in the case of the ex-Premier was set for March 30, 10:30am.
Vlad Filat faces 7 to 15 years in jail for passive corruption and influence peddling. He pleads not guilty.
