The Supreme Court has pronounced the final ruling in the fictitious hiring file on Monday, sentencing ruling PSD leader Liviu Dragnea to three years and a half in prison, as he had been sentenced in the first court last year. The ruling today is final. It is Dragnea’s final ruling after the one in the referendum case.
The court has annulled and suspended his first sentence for corruption, two years on probation in the Referendum case and merged the two sentences. Dragnea might get out of jail earlier though, for good conduct, but not earlier than 2 years and four months.
The car diversion
Update1: Liviu Dragnea has left to the police station no 2 to turn himself in, as the arrest warrant reached the police.
Although initially it was thought that the SocDem leader had left his residence by his personal car with tinted windows, it has eventually appeared to be just a diversion. Somebody else was driving his car and made journalists followed the vehicle, while Liviu Dragnea was living his residence in a Police car.
People in the street booed the former PSD leader, kicking his car and chanting slogans against him.
However, almost 50 people waited for Dragnea in front of the Rahova Penitentiary, where he was imprisoned. They booed him and threw toothpaste and even toilet paper at his car. Some brought champagne to celebrate the PSD leader’s imprisonment.
Dragnea is to stay 21 days in quarantine in prison, according to procedures.
A long delayed verdict
Following repeated delays, the judges of the High Court of Cassation and Justice have given the verdict today, one day after elections.
The PSD chairman’s appeal has been admitted on the civil action, by decreasing the sum of money he has to pay as damage.
Four out of five judges of the judge panel have been in favour of the conviction. The judge who had a separate opinion claimed the alleged illegality of the three-judge panel that had pronounced the initial ruling in the first court. The alleged illegal 3-judge panel issue is pending at the Constitutional Court.
Liviu Dragnea and Floarea Alesu have been the only ones who received a prison sentence, the other defendants in the file have been either acquitted, or got sentences with suspension, meaning they will have criminal record, but will not go to jail.
The former head of the General Directorate of the Child Protection Teleorman, Floarea Alesu has been sentenced to three yeats and seven months in prison.
Dragnea’s former wife, Bombonica Prodana, has been acquitted for the charge of abuse of office.
Marica Valentina, acquitted for abuse of office
Şefu Olguţa, one year suspended sentence
Constantin Balaban- one year suspended sentence for forgery
Adriana Botorogeanu- two years suspended sentence
Miloş Rodica – three years suspended sentence
Marineci Gabriel – three years suspended sentence
Nicuşor Gheorghe – three years suspended sentence