Romanian Businessmen, Supreme Court Judge To Be Investigated At Large

The High Court rejected anticorruption prosecutors’ request for the preventive arrest of Costiniu, Casuneanu and Locic. Instead, the three have been imposed a travel ban and may not leave the country for 30 days.

The main defendant in the case is senator Catalin Voicu, who was arrested for one month on charges of influence peddling and fraud, and whose request for parole was denied earlier Monday. Last week, Supreme Court judge Florin Costiniu and businessmen Marius Locic and Costel Casuneanu were also placed under arrest in the same case.

Costiniu’s arrest ruling is a first for the Romanian judiciary, as this is the first time a Supreme Court judge is arrested. Costiniu, 60, is accused of receiving bribe to intervene with several magistrates in favor of Casuneanu and Locic.