Twenty-one persons are suspected of being involved in the arranging of the results of public tender contests to purchase medical equipment and consumables. Within this case, officers of the National Anticorruption Center and anticorruption prosecutors carried out searches on April 8. Sixteen persons were arrested, while another five will be investigated as suspects, but were allowed to go after the questioning, IPN reports.
The head of the National Anticorruption Center’s Prosecution Division Bogdan Zumbreanu told a news conference that the suspects are civil servants or former functionaries as well as businessmen. Among those arrested are former health minister Andrei Usatyi, director of the Agency of Medications and Medical Devices Alexandru Coman, director of the Cardiology Institute Vitalie Moscalu, director of the National Emergency Medicine Center Gheorghe Ciobanu, director of the National Medical Diagnosis Center Andrei Testemitanu, and director of the Oncology Institute Victor Cernat.
The 16 suspects were placed under arrest for 72 hours and are investigated for misuse of power and bribery.
Asked what role Andrei Usatyi played, Bogdan Zumbreanu said he, as a minister, ordered hastening taking particular decisions concerning public procurement.
Bogdan Zumbreanu stated that the criminal case was started last November. The National Anticorruption Center established that damage of over 2.7 million lei was caused to the state by one public procurement transaction. The Center examines contracts to the value of over 200 million lei.
