Warrant of arrest for Moldovan businessman extended for 30 days

Chisinau, 26 October /MOLDPRES/- The Buiucani court of Chisinau extended the warrant of arrest for businessman Veaceslav Platon by 30 days more.

Prosecutor Andrei Baiesu said that the demarche had been completely accepted. “New evidence motivating risks of avoiding and preventing the proper conduct of the investigation, as well as committing other offences by the accused have been attached to the application,” Baiesu said.

Platon’s lawyer noted that the defendant asked for the recusal of the panel of judges, but the request had been rejected. “In the court, it was requested hearing more witnesses, but the request was also turned down. Subsequently, the case was under examination. The Kroll report was submitted to the court, and we believe it is very important evidence for showing the persons who participated in the theft of money,” the lawyer said.

“The decision on extending the warrant of arrest is groundless, therefore, we will appeal it to the Court of Appeal,” he said.  

Businessman Veaceslav Platon was arrested by Ukrainian authorities at a request by Moldovan prosecutors. Platon is criminally prosecuted for swindle and money laundering in very large amount, which caused damage worth over 800 million lei to Banca de Economii (Savings Bank). Prosecutors reached conclusion that the money, got by fraud in form of loans, was transferred to accounts of more off-shore companies, to conceal its illegal origin, and was subsequently used to pay off loans from Moldovan banks. The suspect’s lawyers rejected the charges brought by prosecutors, stressing that Platon pled not guilty.     

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Răileanu)