Igor Dodon's corruption trial proceeds after court rejection

The Constitutional Court of Moldova has rejected a request by former President Igor Dodon to suspend his criminal trial currently being heard by the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ). Dodon had challenged a legal provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure that allows the CSJ to act as the court of first instance for criminal cases involving former presidents.

Dodon argued that the rule should not apply to him because he was no longer in office at the time the case was sent to trial. However, the Constitutional Court ruled that the former president failed to demonstrate imminent or irreparable harm that would justify suspending the law. The court noted that the case is being managed by a legally constituted judicial body.

The case, known as the ‘Sacoșa’ file, involves allegations of passive corruption and the acceptance of party funding from an organized criminal group. The trial has been ongoing since October 2022 and has undergone eight changes in judicial panels. While the request to suspend the law was denied, the Constitutional Court is still expected to rule on the underlying constitutionality of whether former heads of state can be judged directly by the Supreme Court of Justice. Dodon is scheduled to appear before the court again on August 24.