The case of the death of businessman Sorin Paciu during hunting in the Domnească Forest in December 2012 is considerably delayed. Since March 2015, when the judgement of the first court, by which the ex-president of the Appeals Court Gheorghe Crețu was given a two-year suspended sentence, was challenged in the Balti Appeals Court, the case is still being examined, the lawyer for the family of Sorin Paciu Victor Munteanu stated in the talk show “Politics” on TV8 channel, IPN reports.
According to the lawyer, since March 2015 until present, 65 hearings were held at the Balti Appeals Court, with a lot of postponements. Attempts are made to apply the statute of limitations of five years of the commission of the offense, which expired last year and the killing out of imprudence could be classed as a not very serious offense. The family still believes the court will apply the law and will do justice. “A person was shot dead during hunting and no one is held accountable. The political aspect is secondary for the family. If light is not shed on this case, we will definitely go to the ECHR,” stated the lawyer.
Victor Munteanu also said that while the case has been tried at the Balti Appeals Court, Gheorghe Crețu seemed to have assumed blame instead of someone else even if several dozen witnesses said Sorin Paciu was hurt after Gheorghe Crețu shot.
According to the lawyer, in a democratic country, after joint participation in hunting of functionaries who should stay away from each other, when a man is killed and this fact is hidden from the press and the people, a lot of questions would have appeared.
On February 5, 2015 Gheorghe Crețu was given a two-year suspended sentence and fined 6,000 lei by the Fălești Court. He was found guilty of illegal hunting and killing of a man out of imprudence during hunting in the Domnească Forest in December 2012.
Another three persons investigated in this case were acquitted. These are the ex-director of Moldsilva Agency Ion Lupu, head of the Natural Reserve “Domnească Forest” Denis Irimchuk and ex-engineer on duty Valeriu Svistun.
The hunting that resulted in the death of the 35-year-old Sorin Paciu from Chisinau involved a number of state officials, including the then prosecutor general Valeriu Zubko. The case became known only on December 6, 2013. Disclosures were made by the leader of the People’s Movement Party “Antimafie” Sergiu Mocanu.
