Clotilde Armand sentenced to one year in prison by Sector 1 Court
Former mayor of Sector 1, Clotilde Armand, received a one-year prison sentence on Monday with suspended execution of the penalty. The decision is not final and will be appealed.
Armand sentenced for abusing public office for personal gain, sentence suspended for two years
The Sector 1 Court in Bucharest sentenced former Sector 1 Mayor Clotilde Armand on Monday to one year in prison for using her position to favour certain individuals, reports G4Media. The court also ordered the suspension of the execution of the sentence during a two-year probation period.
Through the same ruling, the court imposed an additional penalty: a ban on being elected to public authorities or any other public office and a ban on holding a position involving the exercise of state authority for a period of three years. This ban will only come into effect in the event of annulment or revocation of the suspension of the execution of the main sentence.
Clotilde Armand's response
Armand vehemently rejected adverse interpretations of the decision in a message published on Facebook. "The court has today imposed a one-year sentence, but has ordered the suspension of its execution. There is no damage established in this case. Zero lei," the former mayor wrote.
She characterised the case as "pathetic", arguing that it was "initiated following a referral from the PSD" and used as a "political weapon" over several years. "I was declared 'criminal' by my opponents before there was a final ruling," Armand added.
The former mayor announced that she would contest the sentence: "The ruling is not final. We will appeal it. I have maintained from the beginning that I acted legally, in good faith and without seeking to obtain any undue benefit."
Armand also cited a series of procedural circumstances which she considered suspicious: "Four prosecutors succeeded each other in handling the case. The bench was changed overnight." She promised to reveal "many other unknowns" at the appropriate time.
Regarding the immediate effects of the sentence, Armand clarified: "On the basis of this ruling, I currently have no ban in force regarding the right to be elected and to run as a candidate."
The prosecutors' charges
Criminal proceedings against Armand were announced on 26 August 2023 by prosecutors from the Office attached to Sector 1 Court. They retained five counts of using public office to favour certain individuals, in continuing form.
According to the order, Armand allegedly signed an order by which she designated herself as manager of a project financed by the European Union—"Improving local administrative capacity for the development, implementation and promotion of anti-corruption measures"—and, in this capacity, allegedly obtained additional income from the work performed.
Specifically, prosecutors state that the former mayor allegedly signed orders by which she increased her basic gross allowance for the months of April, May, June and July 2022, within the management team of the project with code MySMIS 152134, code SIPOCA 1151. The sums added monthly were 3,744 lei for April and June, respectively 5,616 lei for May and July.
The origin of the case
The case was opened following a referral by the National Integrity Agency (ANI), the Office attached to Sector 1 Court informed. Armand also contested the legitimacy of this referral, arguing that "ANI was led at the time of the complaint by the brother of a PSD politician from the Ministry of Agriculture" and that currently the institution is headed by "the former adviser to Mihai Tudose (PSD)".
The sentence pronounced on Monday is not final. The case will be retried on appeal.
Source: G4Media