Two former Sangera councilors get 8 and 10 years in jail

Two former councilmen from Sangera town of Chisinau municipality were sentenced to 8 and, respectively, 10 years in prison for swindle and banned from holding public posts for a period of three years, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on January 3, Ina Frunza, prosecutor of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, said that in 2006-2008, using the status of councilor, the two misled the owner of a plot of half a hectare to the value of about €67,000 and obtained a power of attorney. Afterward, the two falsified a sale-purchase contract and, presenting erroneous data in court, won the right of ownership over the plot. Later, they sold the land to another person, who, for his part, sold it to the current owner. During investigations, it was established that the two councilmen initially convinced the owner to sell the plot to them for US$6,000, but when the woman found out what the real value of the land was, she asked that they give it back to her and returned them the money. The culprits offered their help in finding other buyers. After the woman managed to sell the plot at a higher price, the new owner found out that the land already belonged to another person. Prosecutor Viorel Morari said the former councilors are to pay damages of €67,000 to the plaintiff. According to the prosecutors, when the sentence was passed, one of the councilors worked at the Energy Efficiency Agency of the Ministry of Economy, while the other one held the post of chairman of the public association “International Antidrug Center”.