Soroca murder: Court upholds 20-year sentences for two men

The North Appeal Court has upheld 20-year prison sentences for two men convicted of the murder of Vasilii Rotari in the village of Ocolina, Soroca district. The court rejected defense arguments seeking lighter sentences or a reclassification of the crime, maintaining the original ruling of murder committed with extreme cruelty.

According to the evidence, the incident occurred on the night of September 14, 2025. Following a conflict at the victim's home, the assailants beat the man until he lost consciousness. They then tied his legs with a rope and used a horse to drag him approximately 3 kilometers to a forest. Once there, they attempted to strangle him using the same rope and subsequently suffocated him. The perpetrators attempted to hide the body by covering it with leaves.

While upholding the prison terms, the court increased the moral damages awarded to the victim's family. The compensation for the victim's wife and mother was raised from 300,000 to 500,000 lei each. Additionally, the defendants must jointly pay 68,000 lei to cover the legal assistance expenses for the victim's wife.