Moldovan authorities seek international warrant for ex-IGP Chief after corruption sentencing
The former head of Moldova’s General Police Inspectorate (IGP), Alexandru Pînzari, remains at large nine days after being sentenced to three years in prison.
Interior Minister Daniella Misail-Nichitin stated on Wednesday that authorities cannot rule out that Pînzari fled to the Moscow-backed breakaway region of Transnistria. This area remains outside the constitutional control of Chisinau, often serving as a sanctuary for those evading Moldovan law.
The "Fictitious Hirings" Case
The conviction stems from a high-profile corruption case involving illegal appointments within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI). Prosecutors proved that Dorin Damir, the godson of persecuted oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, was "formally and illegally" hired into a specialized undercover unit.
Damir allegedly operated under the pseudonym "Holrio." Despite never reporting for duty, he received a state salary and obtained fraudulent identification documents under the name Dumitru Busuioc.
Fractured Accountability
While Damir surrendered to authorities on the day of the sentencing, Pînzari and a third accomplice, Valeriu Cojocaru, have fled. Cojocaru, a former Special Operations Chief, has since claimed he is seeking asylum in the European Union.
The three defendants, who all maintained their innocence throughout the trial, were ordered to pay €8,670 (approx. 170,000 MDL) in damages to the state.
Legislative Gaps Under Fire
The disappearance of high-profile convicts has become a recurring embarrassment for the Moldovan judiciary. Similar escapes were recently recorded involving former MPs and prosecutors.
Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu acknowledged that "legislative loopholes and a lack of institutional coordination" allow high-level criminals to flee just before their sentences are read. Grosu has pledged urgent legal reforms to prevent further evasions of justice.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
