Călin Georgescu case: CAB judges fail to reach agreement, divergence panel to be formed
Two judges at the Bucharest Court of Appeal failed to agree on DIICOT's appeal concerning Călin Georgescu's house arrest. A divergence panel will be formed with a third magistrate.
CAB judges enter divergence again in Georgescu case
Two magistrates at the Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) failed to reach agreement on the appeal filed by DIICOT against the Bucharest Tribunal's decision to place Călin Georgescu under house arrest, ProTV News reports.
The bench is composed of magistrates Cristian Dumitru, as president, and Daniela Maria Manolache. The divergent opinions of the two require the formation of a divergence panel through the addition of a third judge, according to Agerpres.
The atmosphere in front of the Bucharest Court of Appeal was tense: Georgescu's supporters occupied the roadway on Splaiul Independenței, blocking traffic in the area.
On 13 October, judge Vlad Andriescu of the Bucharest Tribunal approved Georgescu's request to replace preventive arrest with house arrest. DIICOT, however, contested this decision, leading to the current hearing at the CAB.
Georgescu has been in preventive arrest since 29 September in the case in which he is accused of defrauding a businessman in the amount of 1.1 million euros.
This is not the first time in the same case that judges have failed to reach consensus from the first hearing. At the end of September, when a 30-day preventive arrest was ordered for Georgescu, the bench composed of judges Violeta-Elena Georgescu-Ashemimry — head of Section I Criminal at the CAB — and Cristina Grecu failed to agree on the applicable preventive measure.
At that time, the divergence panel was completed with magistrate Dragoș Mirea, whose vote tipped the balance in favour of preventive arrest.
Source: Știrile ProTV