Romanian Court Says It Released Soldiers In Weapon Heist Case As They Couldn’t Influence Trial

The Bucharest Military Court decided, on December 23, 2009, to release the seven soldiers found under preventive arrest in the trial regarding the weapon heist at Romanian military base Ciorogarla, near Bucharest.

The court martial judges who decided to release the soldiers explained that investigations are in an advanced stage, the defendants and witnesses have been heard, thus the grounds for preventive arrest had changed.

Thus, the seven soldiers were released, since the court has now moved to hearing the defendants and key witnesses proposed by prosecutors.

Since the major stages of the investigation are concluded and the soldiers can no longer influence the investigation, the judges see no grounds for further detainment of the soldiers.

The seven soldiers have been released on probation.

Initially, the Bucharest Military Court extended the preventive arrest measure, but later the decision was cancelled and the soldiers were released by final ruling.

On January 11, 2010, the military court will resume debates in the case regarding the weapon heist at the Ciorogarla base.

On March 2, eleven soldiers were sent to trial in the case involving the weapon heist under charges of theft, absence without leave and violation of weapons and ammunition regulations.

The defendants are sergeant Marius Tudorache – charged with theft, violation of weapons and ammunition regulations, absence without leave and instigation, sergeant major Ionut Nicolae Gagea – theft, corporal Ion Petrica – theft and violation of weapons and ammunition regulations. All are under preventive arrest.

Prosecutors established that sergeant Marius Tudorache breached his commander of the guards attributes, as he did not check if there were locks on the weapons warehouse, when he entered and when he left duty, as well as when the guards changed, he did not perform telephone checks and inspections on the guard posts and he did not conduct the changing of the guards in compliance with the rules.

In addition, the sergeant allegedly got three sentinels, who were on duty on the night of January 27, to breach their post upon entering and leaving duty.

According to prosecutors, the soldiers guarding the military base breached their attributes as they did not check the locks on the weapons warehouse they were guarding, at each of the two entries in the sentinel post, or they left their post without having been relieved of duty in compliance with the rules, at certain intervals, or they failed to perform sentinel duties within certain timeframes.

The total value of weapons and items stolen from the warehouse reaches over 34,500 lei (EUR1= RON4.2077).