Colectiv fire: Abuse of office suspected among District 4 city hall clerks, military from Emergency Situations Inspectorate

Anti-corruption prosecutors started in rem prosecution after the fire at ‘Colectiv’ fire that claimed 32 lives and injured over 180 persons. Investigators suspect that military from the Bucharest-Ilfov Inspectorate for Emergency Situations were not carrying out their work duties properly in the case of fire permits.

The National Anti-corruption Directorate also investigates corruption and abuse of office deeds among the employees of the District 4 City Hall.

“Following the disjunction of a part of the file from the Prosecutor’s Office upon the High Court of Cassation and Justice to the DNA, anti-corruption prosecutors ordered prosecution for several deeds, allegedly committed by more persons having decision-making duties within District 4 City Hall: abuse of office and forgery,” reads the DNA press release.

Investigators also say there are clues and facts that the body integrity and life of over 180 persons were damaged by allowing the “Colectiv” club functioning within no legal framework.

At the same time,  the three owners of the nightclub, were brought from the arrest center on Friday morning to be heard by the anti-corruption prosecutors.

The prosecutors were also conducting searches at the company which delivered the fireworks that would have caused the fire, as well as at one of the company’s warehouses in Giurgiu and at the owners’ residences.

Judicial sources told local news agencies the two owners of the Golden Ideas Fireworks Artists will be heard at the Prosecutor’s Office upon the Supreme Court, as they suspected of having destroyed documents related to the contracts concluded by the company.