The case “Granja Băneasa” remains hot even after the final sentence

“The trial is a fundamental pillar of the rule of law. It considers any public or private attack against the final provisions of the courts unacceptable,” Bogdan Mateescu wrote on his Facebook page.

The National Union of Romanian Lawyers (UNBR) reacted publicly after the conviction of the lawyer Robert Mihăiţă Roşu, of the Ţuca Zbârcea şi Asociaţii law firm, involved in the Ferma Băneasa case, describing as unacceptable “criminal repression of the lawyer for the consultations and complaints performed as a representative ”. The UNBR announced that it would refer the matter to the Judicial Inspection and the Superior Council of the Magistracy to verify the way in which the evidence was administered in this case. “The radical discrepancy between the two court rulings concerning lawyer Robert-Mihăiţă Roşu (no, that of the Braşov Court of Appeal and that of the High Court of Cassation and Justice) shows the weaknesses of the system, with serious consequences on the credibility of the justice “, considers UNBR.

“Given that one of the courts determined that all the acts of the lawyer are part of the normal practice of law (drafting of contracts, notifications, memoranda) and that there is no evidence that he has committed any act of claim or receipt of property In exchange From the promise that it will intervene with the competent public servants to order the restitution of the property claimed by one of the defendants whom it represents, it is unacceptable and incomprehensible how, in the same case, the final decision is radically different ”, argues UNBR, Affirming that, depending on the full motivation for the conviction, it will not hesitate to resort to other protest actions in defense of the principles of the profession and the guarantees of the right of defense.

convictions

The Superior Court of Cassation and Justice issued a final judgment in the Ferma Băneasa case at the end of last week: businessman Remus Truică was sentenced to seven years in prison (initial sentence of four years in prison for influence peddling and money laundering) , Israelis Benyamin Steinmetz and Tal Silberstein received five years in prison, Prince Paul, three years and four months (initial sentence of three years in prison with suspension), lawyer Robert Mihăiţă Roşu, five years, and Nela Ignatenko (ex Păvăloiu ), five years .

Seven other people were sentenced to 4 years in prison with execution. These are Ioan Stoian, Apostol Muşat, Nicolae Jecu, Caterina Popa, Niculae Dima, Gheorghe Olteanu and Valentin Delcea.

Finally, five people, including journalist Dan Andronic, were sentenced to suspended prison terms. The HCCJ forced the convicts to pay various sums of money and decided that the lands of the Snagov forest and the Royal Baneasa farm belong to the Romanian state.

Difficult or impossible to capture

Remus Truica was detained by the police at his Snagov village shortly after the sentence was passed, but a similar approach could not be implemented in the case of Paul from Romania, because he was not found at home. Some judicial sources assure that he left the country and hid somewhere in Portugal. Another clue considered by investigators is that the self-proclaimed prince is in hiding in Italy.

In the case of two other convicts, Benyamin Steinmetz and Tal Silberstein, the HCCJ sentence will be difficult, if not impossible, to implement, because they are Israeli citizens and Israel does not extradite. Therefore, even if they are wanted internationally, the two could go to prison only if they recklessly leave Israel, which is unlikely in the current situation.

What the DNA found

By submitting the “Băneasa Farm” batch to court, DNA prosecutors proved that “Prince” Paul promised Truică and his criminal group associates a significant portion, between 50 and 80 percent, of the value of the goods they claim. In Romania. After the acquisition of Snagov Forest and Băneasa Farm, they were transferred by “prince” Paul, through sales contracts, to Reciplia SRL, at highly undervalued prices, concealing the illicit nature of the origin. The company sold it to other people, without raising any money.