Trial Of Romanian Graft-Charged Senator Voicu Postponed For September

Voicu’s lawyers argued the senator needn’t remain in preventive custody, as all the evidence has been collected by the Anticorruption Department prosecutors and Voicu cannot influence any witnesses or evidence.

Attorney Ion Cazacu called for the arrest warrant issued in his client’s name to be declared void, arguing that Voicu was denied the right to defense, as he was not heard by the prosecutors before or after the Senate was asked to allow his arrest. The attorney requested the preventive arrest decision be either annulled or replaced with an order not to leave the country or city.

The Supreme Court judges decided to postpone the trial until September 10.

Mid-May this year, anticorruption prosecutors indicted Voicu, former judge Florin Costiniu and businessmen Costel Casuneanu and Marius Locic on charges of influence peddling and fraud.

The main defendant in the case is Voicu, who has been under arrest since late March on charges of influence peddling and fraud, and whose request for parole has been denied twice.

Costiniu, who was suspended from his position of Supreme Court judge after his arrest, was released from custody alongside Casuneanu and Locic and was investigated at large on charges of corruption.