The court decided to place in custody the 7 people, detained by the NAC and prosecutors, in files on public procurement fraud

The Chisinau Court (Ciocana) decided to place in custody the seven people, detained by the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) in several files on public procurement fraud. Thus, a 30-day preventive arrest warrant was issued for the head of the General Directorate for Urban Mobility of the Chisinau Municipal Council (DGMU) and his deputy. Also, preventive arrest warrants were issued for 4 representatives of economic agents, and one of them was placed under house arrest. Thus, 6 defendants, on whose behalf a preventive arrest warrant was issued, are to be transferred to Penitentiary No. 13. The conclusion of the court case can be appealed in accordance with the legislation in force.

We remind you that two civil servants and five representatives of legal entities were detained by the NAC following over 60 searches carried out within 30 criminal cases, initiated on corruption acts committed by those responsible for public procurement processes in complicity with several economic agents.

According to the evidence administered by the NAC and prosecutors, during 2024, public figures within the General Directorate for Urban Mobility of the Chisinau Municipal Council (DGMU), responsible for the public procurement process, allegedly created a criminal scheme according to which they systematically accepted and received goods, advantages and/or money from individuals and legal entities in order to award public procurement contracts. These are contracts regarding the construction or repair of sidewalks, public transport roads, access to courtyards, etc. Also, in exchange for illicit remuneration, the suspects prepared the permissive documents for the indicated works and ensured the final receipt of the objects, the amount of the commission charged constituting approximately 10-15% of the value of these contracts.

Following the investigations undertaken by the NAC, at least 20 episodes of public procurement fraud were identified and documented, involving public persons, legal entities/economic agents and their representatives - administrators, founders, employees, etc. Up to this time, during the searches carried out at the suspects' offices and residences, several pieces of evidence relevant to the criminal prosecution have been seized, including documents, draft documents and sums of money, the origin of which is yet to be established.

Currently, the National Anti-corruption Centre under the leadership of the Municipal Prosecutor's Office Chisinau continues the investigative actions in order to identify and document all persons involved in the aforementioned illegal actions and to hold them criminally liable.

We remind that any person shall be presumed innocent until a final and irrevocable court decision is rendered, and the investigations in this case continue.