Two suspects of influence peddling held up by anti-corruption squad

Two people, one being a barrister, suspected of influence peddling were held up by the employees of the Economic Crimes and Corruption Combating Center (ECCCC), Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the press service of the ECCCC, the officers arrested a lawyer registered with the barristers bar of Ciocana district in Chisinau. The 41-year-old man, pretending he had influence over some judges from the Supreme Court of Justice and over some attorneys, promised to convince those to make a decision to set free an inmate in the serving his sentence in Penitentiary 3 from Chisinau. He extorted 7,000 euros from a woman for these services. Now the man is arrested by the ECCCC and is penally searched. If found guilty of influence peddling, the lawyer may stay in jail from 3 to 7 years or be fined from 20,000 to 60,000 lei. The same day the anti-corruption squad caught in the act a 23-year-old man for similar infractions. The complaint against him was lodged by a man from Cristesti village, Nisporeni district. He claimed he was summoned by the suspect to recognize an offense he did not commit – stealing a pistol. The man stated he was impelled to make written statement that he was guilty of the offense. Later the suspect told him he may release him against 3,000 euros. The victim accepted to pay the sum supervised by the ECCCC officers. The suspect was identified and now is arrested in the ECCCC's quarters . If found guilty he may stay in jail from 3 to 7 years or be fined up to 60,000 lei, reads the ECCCC's communique. The Center has searched 45 cases of influence peddling since the beginning of the year. The ECCCC asks citizens to inform it, at the phone number in Chisinau 257257, about any corruption cases as the confidentiality is guaranteed.