The Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM) consented to the criminal investigation of four judges. The decisions were taken in an extraordinary meeting in which there were examined the notifications of acting prosecutor general Ion Munteanu, IPN reports.
The issues were examined behind closed doors. As a result of deliberations, the four requests were accepted by eight votes in favor and zero votes against. The SCM agreed to the investigation, including forced bringing, detaining, arrest and search, of the four judges. The given judges were suspended from posts until a final decision is taken in the case involving them.
SCM acting president Sergiu Caraman told the press that the four judges are from the Chisinau Court and the Chisinau Appeals Court. The cases are related between them. The judges are suspected of involvement in passive and active corruption and influence peddling. No other details were given due to the secrecy of the investigation.
Contacted by IPN for details, spokeswoman for the Prosecutor General’s Office Violina Moraru said that one of the judges is suspected of passive corruption and influence peddling. Another two judges are suspected of complicity in influence peddling and, respectively, influence peddling, while the fourth judge is suspected of active corruption.
“The investigation is conducted by the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office with the assistance of the National Anticorruption Center. The Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office will provide new details about this case at the opportune moment, respecting the rights of the participants in the criminal proceedings. The Prosecutor’s Office reiterates its commitment to fight corruption and ensure the integrity of the judicial system and will take all the necessary actions to root out this phenomenon,” stated Violina Moraru.
