Laura Codruta Kovesi was indicted on Thursday in a second case. The section for investigating the crimes committed by magistrates accused her of having led an organized criminal group of DNA prosecutors in the file of prosecutors from DNA Ploiesti, Mircea Negulescu (nicknamed prosecutor Orange) and Lucian Onea.
After four hours of hearings, the former head of the DNA said she was summoned in a totally non-procedural way and was asked to make statements in a case but instead was heard as a suspect in a second criminal case.
The former head of DNA explained that she does not know exactly if she had the status of a suspect at the moment, because at the end she was presented with a report that was not signed by the prosecutor, which was one of many procedural flaws that would have been committed by the SIIJ prosecutor who is investigating the case. She was also prevented from making statements, Laura Codruta Kovesi said.
She also reported that she had an ordinance signed by the case prosecutor to study the file, but she was denied that.
„In the first case file, which you already know, I was prevented from making statements. (…) I asked if I may leave and wait for the subpoena and I was told that I may not and 9 or 10 people entered the office, and (the prosecutor – editor’s note) told me that I was accused in another file.
Then I said I was not legally summoned but in one file and I had not the occasion to hire a lawyer. (…)
I do not know the urgency that I cannot be summoned another day and she said she does not care as she can summon me when she wanted to. She informed me of a charge that I would have coordinated an organised group within DNA with prosecutors who made an indictment,” Laura Codruta Kovesi explained.
She also said she was not the only target, as it is about other magistrates targeted, for the simple reason that they did their job: „I’m not the only one and we wonder why we, people who have done our job are harassed.”
The file in which she is prosecuted is that of prosecutors from DNA Ploiesti Mircea Negulescu and Lucian Onea.
Mircea Negulescu is investigated for improper participation in the form of complicity in favouring the perpetrator and complicity in unjust repression, and Lucian Onea for improper participation in the form of complicity in favouring the perpetrator, unjust repression, abusive prosecution and the formation of an organized criminal group.
The two would compel certain witnesses to make referrals and false lists with voters from Republic of Moldova, documents showing that voters would have received money as „electoral bribe”.
Former Chief Prosecutor of DNA is investigated in a case where she is accused of abuse of office, bribery and forgery in statements.
The file was opened in December 2018, starting from a referral by Sebastian Ghita. He claims to have paid in 2011 the cost of bringing fugitive Nicolae Popa in the country, condemned for his role in the FNI business. The amount represents a bribe, even though it was not received by Laura Kovesi, as her gain was the public image she would have obtained due to the extradition.
