Case of judge Istrati sent to court

The case of judge Andrei Istrati from Riscani district, who is accused of complicity in the attempt to appropriate the property of the insurance company “Moldasig”, was remitted to court, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on February 2, deputy anticorruption prosecutor Viorel Morari said the judge will stand trial over abuse of power, passing of an illegal decision and complicity in swindle. The lawsuit against “Moldasig” was filed by a Ukrainian citizen, who said that a Moldovan, who was already dead at that moment, owes money to him. He lent him money for buying the head office of “Moldasig”. According to the prosecutors, Andrei Istrati, abusing his position, examined the case as a matter of urgency, committing serious procedural violations. The magistrate is accused of passing an illegal decision whereby the 100% holding in the registered capital of “Moldasig” was transferred to the Ukrainian citizen, even if some of the defendants were no longer alive when the case was tried. At the request of Prosecutor General Valeriu Zubko, the Supreme Council of Magistrates decided to lift the judge’s immunity and to suspend him from post. The judge faces up to 25 years in jail.