Prosecutors demand 19 years of imprisonment for Moldovan city mayor

Chisinau, 20 June /MOLDPRES/ - Prosecutors have demanded 19 years of imprisonment for the mayor of central Orhei city, Ilan Shor. The prosecution side made statements to this effect following a court session today.     

The case prosecutor, Andrei Baesu, said that the legal investigation had been completed today and the legal debates were opened. “We have demanded punishment of 19 years of imprisonment, with the deprivation of the right to hold certain offices at financial institutions during five years,” Baesu said.   

The lawyer of Ilan Shor, Denis Ulanov, said that the last witness of the defence was to be heard today; yet, the witness failed to come to court and the lawyers do not the reason for this. At the same time, Ulanov noted that ”the voluntary and efficient cooperation, as well as the observance of all requirements of the court should lead to the acquittal and release Ilan Shor from criminal liability,” Ulanov stressed.   

A new court session will take place on 21 June, and according to Ilan Shor’s lawyers, the sentence within this file might be pronounced.   

On 22 June, one year is marked since Ilan Shor has been put under preventive arrest. Once this term expired, Shor is to be released from preventive arrest.   

The Prosecutor General’s Office opened a criminal file against Ilan Shor back in December 2014 on dubious transactions between Banca de Economii (Savings Bank –BEM) and Banca Sociala (Social Bank). Shor is accused of having got by fraud, in 2014, five billion lei from BEM, which he would have laundered through tens of off-shore companies, with the sum confirmed in the Kroll memorandum too.      

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor M. Jantovan)