The former director of the Security and Intelligence Service Vasile Botnari has been given 30 days of house arrest by the Chisinau/Ciocana District Court after after prosecutors unsuccessfully sought an extension of his custodial arrest.

According to the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, the court hasn’t given adequate consideration to prosecutors’ arguments that Botnari could interfere with the investigation, destroy evidence and put pressure on witnesses yet to be heard.

Vasile Botnari is investigated for alleged unjust enrichment, being accused of purchasing real estate and securities through proxies while holding public offices in 2014-2019. He denies any wrongdoing.