Eight persons were subjected to house searches this morning by the NAC officers and anti-corruption prosecutors. They are targeted in the cases of dubious business with the plots of land in which the former officials from the Durlești City Hall are involved, suspected of bringing damages to the state estimated at 6,5 million lei. According to the investigation, the eight persons allegedly had the role of the intermediaries, the beneficiaries of the transactions were the relatives of the former mayor and the former employees of the Durlești City Hall.

During the searches, the NAC officers looked for the evidence on the involvement of the eight people in the corruption acts from the mayor's office. Transaction cost documents, mobile phones and other information carriers were collected from the scene. The actions took place both in Chișinău and outside of it. The persons involved are investigated, at this stage, at large, the prosecutors are to identify their procedural statute, based on the collected evidence.

We remind, that a month ago, several former officials of the Durlești city hall in Chisinau municipality were criminally investigated by the NAC officers and anti-corruption prosecutors in a case of abuse of office.

They are suspected of organizing a land alienation scheme in Durlești, based on the decisions of the city council. According to the investigation materials, during the years 2005-2006, a local councilor, who later became mayor, and other officials from Durlești City Hall fraudulently issued land authentication rights for 21 lots, located outside the town of Durlești, with a total area of about 1.5 hectares. As the result of the criminal actions, the former councilor allegedly asked the beneficiaries to appear before a notary, where he signed general power of attorney, which empowered the first, but also members of his family, to administer and alienate the respective lands. To give a legal appearance to the scheme, the fictitious sales-purchase transactions were made in exchange for a symbolic amount of money. The investigation found out that the final beneficiaries of the lands turned out to be relatives, people close to the former councilor, but also people involved in the scheme. Thus, the estimated damage to the state budget exceeds 6.5 million lei.

Then, a person was detained and arrested, being investigated for abuse of power or service. If found guilty, the woman risks up to 8 years in prison with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or to carry out a certain activity for a period of 10 years and 15 years.

We remind, that every person is presumed to be innocent until the final and irrevocable decision of the court is to be pronounced.

The Anticorruption Prosecution Office is conducting the criminal investigation.