The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (AP) announced on Wednesday, April 5, the completion of the criminal prosecution and referral to court for examination on the merits of the criminal case of indictment of former Anenii Noi district chairman Serghei Rapcea for committing the crime of exercising duties in the public sector in a situation of conflict of interest.

The criminal prosecution was initiated in October 2022, following a self-report by the National Anti-Corruption Centre that the former president of the Anenii Noi district, during the exercise of his public office, admitted to a conflict of interest in the performance of his duties in the public sector, by concluding a legal act contrary to the legislation on the declaration and control of assets and personal interests.

The accused partially admitted his guilt and the criminal case was sent to the Anenii Noi Court of Appeals, central office, for examination on the merits.

The criminal law provides for a fine of 750 000 to 1 000 000 lei or imprisonment of 2 to 6 years, in both cases with deprivation of the right to hold public office for 5 to 10 years.

At the same time, in order to guarantee the execution of the fine, a seizure was imposed on the funds belonging to the defendant in the amount of 10 000 dollars.

The former chairman of Anenii Noi district Serghei Rapcea was detained in early November 2022 by officers of the National Anti-Corruption Centre (NAC) and anti-corruption prosecutors in a case of influence peddling. He was suspected of organising the rigging of tenders for his own benefit, the CNA announced at the time.

On Thursday, 3 November, NAC officers and anti-corruption prosecutors searched the homes and offices of those involved. As a result, the former chairman of Anenii Noi district was detained for 72 hours.

According to the materials of the case, in 2018-2019, Serghei Rapcea, being in the position of chairman of the rayon and exerting influence on subordinates, allegedly initiated public tenders for construction and repairs in some public institutions.

“Pursuing a personal goal and being in a conflict of interest, the former chairman of Anenii Noi district allegedly favoured a number of companies and economic agents, whose beneficial owner he is, without ensuring competition equal and non-discriminatory treatment of the other participants in the tenders,” a CNA statement said.

District president rented bus from company holding share “without the intention of getting rich”

Ziarul de Garda wrote in 2020 that Serghei Rapcea, while serving as chairman of the Anenii Noi district, violated the legal regime of conflicts of interest after signing several contracts with entities in which he owns shares. These are Cristranscom Ltd, Cristehtrans Ltd, Transpremium Ltd.

During the inspection, it was established that Serghei Rapcea, in his capacity as district president, had signed a contract with SRL Cristehtrans, a company in which he holds a share, for transport services worth 6 000 lei, while other contracts were not identified. He said that he had concluded the contract because there were only two transport agents in Anenii Noi, Biotrans and Cristehtrans. According to Rapcea, at the time of requesting a means of transport from Biotrans SRL, the company was unable to offer one, and when requesting transport from Chisinau, the price asked was 8 500 lei. Thus, in order to pay less, Rapcea decided to request a bus from Cristehtrans Ltd, “without the intention of getting rich”, as he commented.

In the end, Serghei Rapcea was found guilty and was deprived of the right to hold public office or public dignity, with the exception of electoral office, for a period of three years.

In the 2019 general local elections, Serghei Rapcea ran for mayor of Anenii Noi on the list of the Democratic Party of Moldova, obtaining 30.60% of the vote in the first round of the elections. According to his declaration of assets and personal interests for last year, Rapcea had an income of about 50 thousand lei from the Anenii Noi District Council. Another 76 thousand lei he got from Cristranscom Ltd., Cristehtrans Ltd., Transpremium Ltd. and 90 thousand lei from Sandina Service Ltd.