Trial of Călin Georgescu at Bucharest Court: judge to decide fate of preventive detention
Călin Georgescu was escorted to Bucharest Court, where judge Vlad Andriescu is examining the continuation or replacement of preventive detention. The former presidential candidate is accused by DIICOT of fraud and forming a criminal group, with damages of 1.1 million euros.
Georgescu brought to Bucharest Court to contest preventive detention
Călin Georgescu, the former candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, was taken from the central holding facility of the Capital Police on Tuesday morning and escorted to Bucharest Court, according to Gândul. Judge Vlad Andriescu is to decide whether to maintain the preventive detention measure or replace it with a milder one — house arrest or judicial monitoring.
At 09:30, Georgescu was already in the courtroom, with proceedings beginning approximately eight minutes before that time.
The DIICOT case and the sum at issue
Bucharest Court is examining the request for replacement of the preventive detention measure in the case being prosecuted by DIICOT. The former candidate is accused of fraud with particularly grave consequences and forming an organised criminal group. The estimated damage in this case amounts to 1.1 million euros.
Georgescu had been placed in preventive detention on Tuesday, 29 September, for a period of 30 days, after the judge of rights and freedoms initially decided to release him and place him under judicial monitoring. The decision to incarcerate him was later issued by Bucharest Court of Appeal following a contest.
Divergent opinions within the Court of Appeal panel
The three judges on the Court of Appeal panel that decided on the arrest held different positions. Two of them argued that "there is a reasonable suspicion that the accused committed the acts" and that Georgescu was preparing to leave the country. The judge who expressed a separate opinion argued that judicial monitoring was sufficient, contending that the existence of a criminal group is not sufficiently well established and that the fraud accusation could, in reality, represent a legitimate commercial relationship. Gândul obtained the document from Bucharest Court of Appeal and presented its conclusions.
Second hearing at the Court of Appeal in the Potra case
On the same day, Georgescu has a hearing at Bucharest Court of Appeal in the criminal case in which he is being tried alongside mercenary Horațiu Potra and other individuals for instigating actions against the constitutional order, in attempted form. The hearing in this case is scheduled for noon.
Supporters gathered in front of the court
Supporters of Georgescu gathered in front of Bucharest Court to protest. They chanted "Let the thieves leave, let the mafia come" and "Freedom".
At the moment of arrest, as he came out of his home gate, Georgescu attempted to raise his handcuffed hands in the air — a gesture he had made a week earlier, when leaving DIICOT headquarters after 24 hours of detention. This time, the police officers accompanying him prevented the gesture.
Source: Gândul