Marina Tauber escapes house arrest and remains under judicial control
MP Marina Tauber, accused of falsifying reports on political party campaign financing and accepting illegal funding from an organised criminal group, escapes house arrest. The judges of the Chisinau Buiucani court rejected the request of the prosecutors, who asked for the measure to be extended. But the judges decided that Tauber should be placed under judicial control for 60 days.
At the beginning of the hearing, the MP's lawyers asked for the recusal of the prosecutor, Ghennadi Epure.
"We hope that the court will make a correct decision and Mr Epure will be recused, but we will not end with this. We are going to fight in the courts, including international courts, so that he and Mr. Crîșmaru are held criminally responsible", said MP Marina Tauber.
The court rejected the request for recusal, which it deemed unfounded. In turn, the prosecutors asked for an extension of the preventive measure against Marina Tauber, but in this case too, the judges did not grant it.
According to anti-corruption prosecutors, criminal proceedings against Marina Tauber were launched early last year. She is accused of falsifying reports on the financing of the electoral campaign of the outlawed Shor party and accepting illegal funding from an organised criminal group.
"On some counts she is charged as an organizer, the person who directed the acceptance and distribution of this money, on some counts as the perpetrator. The indictment includes more than 20 people to be heard as witnesses for the prosecution in this case," said Ghennadi Epure, prosecutor in the case.
For the crime committed, the law provides for a fine of 57,500 to 92,500 lei or imprisonment of 2 to 7 years.
In both cases, the penalty is a fine of between 250,000 lei and 450,000 lei and the right to hold certain positions or to carry out certain activities for a period of between 2 and 5 years, and the legal person is liable to a fine of between 250,000 lei and 450,000 lei and the right to carry out a certain activity or the liquidation of the legal person. Tauber pleads not guilty.
