Deputy Chief of Râmnicu Vâlcea Police Detained by DNA for €5,000 Bribe
Chief Constable Alexandru Raoul Păunescu, deputy chief of Râmnicu Vâlcea Police, was detained for 24 hours for trafficking in influence. He allegedly received €5,000 in exchange for intervening in a criminal case.
Police officer from Vâlcea detained after allegedly receiving €5,000 to influence a traffic case
Chief Constable Alexandru Raoul Păunescu, deputy chief of Râmnicu Vâlcea Municipal Police, was detained for 24 hours by prosecutors from the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), accused of trafficking in influence, according to agerpres.ro. The detention came after Păunescu allegedly received €5,000 from a man in exchange for a promise that he would intervene to secure a favourable outcome in a criminal case.
Charges filed by DNA
According to a statement from DNA, the alleged actions occurred on 29 September 2026. Păunescu, in his capacity as a criminal investigation officer within the Vâlcea County Police Inspectorate, allegedly demanded and received the sum of €5,000 from suspect L.I.C., leading the latter to understand that he had influence over police officers at Bălcești Police.
Officers at Bălcești were conducting an investigation in a case in which L.I.C. was being investigated for traffic regulation breaches — driving with a suspended licence and driving an unregistered vehicle. In exchange for the money received, Păunescu allegedly promised that he would persuade his colleagues to conduct the investigation in such a manner that L.I.C. would receive a decision not to prosecute, according to DNA.
Second suspect detained for purchase of influence
In the same case, L.I.C., the man who allegedly handed over the money to the police officer, was also detained. He is accused of purchasing influence, the correlative offence to the trafficking in influence charge brought against Păunescu.
Both are to be presented on Thursday before Argeș Court, where DNA prosecutors will submit a proposal for preventative arrest for a period of 30 days.
Support from the General Anti-Corruption Directorate
In this case, DNA prosecutors are receiving support from the General Anti-Corruption Directorate — Vâlcea County Anti-Corruption Service, according to the same source.
Source: Google News RO — Crime (ro)