Latest news with #Moldovan
The Journal
a day ago
- The Journal
Man (24) who fatally stabbed sister's partner with kitchen knife found guilty of manslaughter
A 24-YEAR-OLD man who told gardaí he was 'so drunk' that he couldn't remember fatally stabbing his sister's partner once in the chest with a kitchen knife following a dispute has been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a Central Criminal Court jury. The panel of eight men and four women unanimously rejected the prosecution case that Valeriu Melnic was guilty of murder, despite evidence he had told Ion Daghi 'I will kill you' when the deceased had tried to calm him down. The State had submitted this was the 'clearest statement of intent' that the jury were likely to encounter. Moldovan national Melnic, with an address at Calliaghstown Lower, Rathcoole, Co Dublin had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Daghi (39) at The Close, Sallins Park, Sallins in Co Kildare on 12 May 2024. In seeking a verdict of manslaughter for his client, Brendan Grehan SC, defending, told the jurors in his closing address that the issue of intoxication was 'all over' the case and that the consumption of three bottles of 'firewater' had an effect on everyone that night. Counsel submitted that whiskey can have a remarkable transformation on people's moods and how they behave. Melnic told gardaí in his interviews that he couldn't remember stabbing his sister's partner with the knife as he was so drunk but later said that 'all the evidence pointed' to him being 'the only one responsible'. Grehan also argued in his closing speech that if everybody who said the words 'I will kill you' in a fight were guilty of murder, the State wouldn't be able to build prisons fast enough. 'People say things not meaning them,' he submitted. Whereas, Carl Hanahoe SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, submitted in his closing address that Daghi had entered his kitchen when a struggle pursued between the defendant and his sister. 'It wasn't the entry of a bull or a bear, it was a man entering saying 'calm down, calm down''. The defence had asked for a verdict of manslaughter on the basis of intoxication or the partial defence of provocation, which can reduce an intentional killing from murder to manslaughter. Grehan said there wasn't any doubt but that a provocative act had occurred to his client, who he said was 'badly beaten' and had reacted to that. He said the defendant had picked up a knife in the heat of the moment, where passions did not have time to cool. 'Provocation is a reaction to something that causes you to boil over; and boil over he did and cause the death of the deceased'. Curiously, the lawyer submitted that Melnic did not recall being hit over the head by the deceased with the leg of a chair and the only thing he could remember was Daghi having his hands around his neck trying to strangle him. He said nine hours after the defendant's arrest, scrape marks or finger marks were found on Melnic's neck. The jury had the option of returning two verdicts in relation to the murder charge against Melnic, namely; guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The 12 jurors took six hours and 27 minutes over three days to reject the State's contention that the defences of provocation and intoxication were not open to Melnic. Following today's unanimous verdict, presiding judge Mr Justice David Keane told the panel that jury service is one of the most important duties that an individual can be asked to perform as an Irish citizen. He said they had 'very properly discharged' their civic duty at the cost of some disruption to their family lives and working lives. The judge said the graphic nature of the evidence which the jurors had to deal with during the trial had made their service 'particularly challenging and difficult'. He thanked them for their service and exempted them from further jury duty for the next ten years. Advertisement A sentence hearing for Melnic is expected to take place on 3 November and the judge remanded the defendant in custody until that date. The case was listed for mention on 20 October. On 3 November, the Daghi family will have an opportunity to make a statement to the court about the impact Ion's death has had on their lives. The judge also directed a probation and a governor's report on the defendant. The trial heard that on the evening in question, Melnic met up with a friend and proceeded to Daghi's house, arriving at 8pm. There were a number of people present in the house and they had some food in the garden, drank a bottle of whiskey and proceeded to a pub where a second bottle of whiskey was purchased and consumed back at the house. The group then went to a nightclub where they bought a third bottle of whiskey. Some time around 3am, a dispute arose between Melnic and Daghi. Witness Alexandru Beccieu (24) said both he and Daghi were trying to calm Melnic down but the defendant was 'very drunk'. The witness said he went in between his friends to pull them apart when they started throwing punches at each other. Beccieu said the defendant tried to hit him and was successful on the second occasion. He said Daghi then got in between them and separated them. Baccieu went to look for the defendant's car keys, because Melnic wasn't calming down after Daghi told him to go home. When the witness came back, he said the defendant was 'down' or on the ground with his hands on his head 'trying to ward something off' and that Daghi had a piece of a chair in his hand. A woman took Melnic into the house and Baccieu and Daghi stayed outside smoking a cigarette. The witness said Daghi looked in the window of the house and saw Melnic and his sister pulling at each other. He said Daghi went into the kitchen to see what was happening and came out seconds later. The witness continued: 'Mr Daghi said he cut and fell down in front of me.' Under cross-examination, Beccieu agreed with Grehan that Melnic must have had 'a colossal amount' of the whiskey as the deceased didn't have a lot of alcohol in his system. A pathologist told the jury that Daghi died from a single stab wound to the chest, which measured 13cm in depth, and death would have been very rapid. 73 milligrams of ethanol was detected in the deceased's system, which is just over 2.5 pints. Referring to the law of intoxication in his charge, Mr Justice Keane had said it is not a complete defence to murder and is there if the defendant's mind was in such a state from the effects of alcohol that he had not intended to kill or cause serious injury. He told the jurors if they had a doubt about that, then the verdict should be not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Having been arrested on suspicion of assault causing harm to Daghi in the early hours of 12 May, Melnic was deemed unfit for interview and was not questioned until 15 hours later. He told interviewing officers at Naas Garda Station that he and the deceased had been drunk and at some point an argument started. 'A lot of drink was taken, my memory is very hazy,' added the defendant. Melnic's sister, Angelina Spinu, had agreed that her evidence to a jury, where she had 'painted a picture' of her own partner Daghi 'as the aggressor' in the altercation and holding a weapon, was 'the complete opposite' to what was said in her garda statement. In her direct evidence at the Central Criminal Court, Spinu denied to the prosecutor via a Romanian interpreter that she was trying to protect her brother. The jury had heard that Spinu told gardai in her statement that her 'kid brother' said to her husband 'I will kill you' before he took a step forward and 'pushed' a knife into his chest.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Greek police arrest Moldovan tycoon Plahotniuc on Interpol notice
FILE PHOTO: Leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova Vladimir Plahotniuc delivers a speech during a rally demanding a creation of parliament coalition, in Chisinau, Moldova June 9, 2019. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo ATHENS - Greek police have arrested a Moldovan tycoon and a former political leader wanted for allegedly participating in a criminal organisation, money laundering and fraud, police said on Tuesday. Vladimir Plahotniuc, considered one of Moldova's richest men and a former lawmaker, was arrested at the Athens airport on an Interpol notice on Monday evening. He has been accused in connection with a $1 billion fraud against Moldovan banks in 2014-2015, a case known locally as the "theft of the century". He has denied wrongdoing. Police also arrested former Moldovan lawmaker Constantin Tutu, 38, who is wanted by Russia for allegedly trafficking drugs internationally, police officials said. Both suspects had an Interpol red notice issued against them. Moldova's General Inspectorate of Police confirmed that Plahotniuc, who was the leader of the Democratic party from 2016-2019, and Tutu had been arrested. Plahotniuc, 59, is suspected to have fled Moldova in 2019. Following a tip-off, Greek police launched an investigation which found that Plahotniuc was living with his partner in a luxurious villa in the southern suburbs of Athens. Tutu also lived in the same residence, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the confidentiality of the probe. In 2023, the European Union imposed sanctions on seven people from Moldova, including Plahotniuc, for actions that it said destabilised and undermined the territorial integrity of Moldova and neighbouring Ukraine. Since 2023, Plahotniuc has lived in 22 countries, changing residence regularly to avoid detection, the Greek police officials said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22 Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking Singapore Singapore, Vietnam agree to step up defence ties, dialogue between leaders Asia Malaysia govt's reform pledge tested as DAP chief bows over unresolved 2009 death of political aide Tech Singapore to increase pool of early adopters in AI to complement data scientists, engineers Singapore Prosecution says judge who acquitted duo of bribing ex-LTA official had copied defence arguments Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving The two men, carrying only backpacks, were arrested at the Athens airport after boarding a flight to Dubai. They will appear before a prosecutor on Wednesday to respond to charges. Moldova is expected to request his extradition, the country's General Prosecutor's office said. REUTERS
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Greek police arrest Moldovan tycoon Plahotniuc on Interpol notice
ATHENS -Greek police have arrested a Moldovan tycoon and a former political leader wanted for allegedly participating in a criminal organisation, money laundering and fraud, police said on Tuesday. Greek police arrest Moldovan tycoon Plahotniuc on Interpol notice Vladimir Plahotniuc, considered one of Moldova's richest men and a former lawmaker, was arrested at the Athens airport on an Interpol notice on Monday evening. He has been accused in connection with a $1 billion fraud against Moldovan banks in 2014-2015, a case known locally as the "theft of the century". He has denied wrongdoing. Police also arrested former Moldovan lawmaker Constantin Tutu, 38, who is wanted by Russia for allegedly trafficking drugs internationally, police officials said. Both suspects had an Interpol red notice issued against them. Moldova's General Inspectorate of Police confirmed that Plahotniuc, who was the leader of the Democratic party from 2016-2019, and Tutu had been arrested. Plahotniuc, 59, is suspected to have fled Moldova in 2019. Following a tip-off, Greek police launched an investigation which found that Plahotniuc was living with his partner in a luxurious villa in the southern suburbs of Athens. Tutu also lived in the same residence, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the confidentiality of the probe. In 2023, the European Union imposed sanctions on seven people from Moldova, including Plahotniuc, for actions that it said destabilised and undermined the territorial integrity of Moldova and neighbouring Ukraine. Since 2023, Plahotniuc has lived in 22 countries, changing residence regularly to avoid detection, the Greek police officials said. The two men, carrying only backpacks, were arrested at the Athens airport after boarding a flight to Dubai. They will appear before a prosecutor on Wednesday to respond to charges. Moldova is expected to request his extradition, the country's General Prosecutor's office said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
Man who fatally stabbed sister's partner in Kildare house guilty of manslaughter
The panel unanimously rejected the prosecution case that Valeriu Melnic was guilty of murder A 24-year-old man who told gardai he was "so drunk" that he couldn't remember fatally stabbing his sister's partner once in the chest with a kitchen knife following a dispute has been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a Central Criminal Court jury. The panel of eight men and four women unanimously rejected the prosecution case that Valeriu Melnic was guilty of murder, despite evidence he had told Ion Daghi "I will kill you" when the deceased had tried to calm him down. The State had submitted this was the "clearest statement of intent" that the jury were likely to encounter. Moldovan national Melnic, with an address at Calliaghstown Lower, Rathcoole, Co Dublin had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Daghi (39) at The Close, Sallins Park, Sallins in Co Kildare on May 12, 2024. In seeking a verdict of manslaughter for his client, Brendan Grehan SC, defending, told the jurors in his closing address that the issue of intoxication was "all over" the case and that the consumption of three bottles of "firewater" had an effect on everyone that night. Counsel submitted that whiskey can have a remarkable transformation on people's moods and how they behave. Melnic told gardai in his interviews that he couldn't remember stabbing his sister's partner with the knife as he was so drunk but later said that "all the evidence pointed" to him being "the only one responsible". Mr Grehan also argued in his closing speech that if everybody who said the words 'I will kill you' in a fight were guilty of murder, the State wouldn't be able to build prisons fast enough. "People say things not meaning them," he submitted. Whereas, Carl Hanahoe SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, submitted in his closing address that Mr Daghi had entered his kitchen when a struggle pursued between the defendant and his sister. "It wasn't the entry of a bull or a bear, it was a man entering saying 'calm down, calm down'". The defence had asked for a verdict of manslaughter on the basis of intoxication or the partial defence of provocation, which can reduce an intentional killing from murder to manslaughter. Mr Grehan said there wasn't any doubt but that a provocative act had occurred to his client, who he said was "badly beaten" and had reacted to that. He said the defendant had picked up a knife in the heat of the moment, where passions did not have time to cool. "Provocation is a reaction to something that causes you to boil over; and boil over he did and cause the death of the deceased". Curiously, the lawyer submitted that Melnic did not recall being hit over the head by the deceased with the leg of a chair and the only thing he could remember was Mr Daghi having his hands around his neck trying to strangle him. He said nine hours after the defendant's arrest, scrape marks or finger marks were found on Melnic's neck. The jury had the option of returning two verdicts in relation to the murder charge against Melnic, namely; guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The 12 jurors took six hours and 27 minutes over three days to reject the State's contention that the defences of provocation and intoxication were not open to Melnic. Following today's unanimous verdict, presiding judge Mr Justice David Keane told the panel that jury service is one of the most important duties that an individual can be asked to perform as an Irish citizen. He said they had "very properly discharged" their civic duty at the cost of some disruption to their family lives and working lives. The judge said the graphic nature of the evidence which the jurors had to deal with during the trial had made their service "particularly challenging and difficult". He thanked them for their service and exempted them from further jury duty for the next ten years. Victim Ion Daghi and Valeriu Melnic News in 90 Seconds - July 22nd A sentence hearing for Melnic is expected to take place on November 3 and the judge remanded the defendant in custody until that date. The case was listed for mention on October 20. On November 3, the Daghi family will have an opportunity to make a statement to the court about the impact Ion's death has had on their lives. The judge also directed a probation and a governor's report on the defendant. The trial heard that on the evening in question, Melnic met up with a friend and proceeded to Mr Daghi's house, arriving at 8pm. There were a number of people present in the house and they had some food in the garden, drank a bottle of whiskey and proceeded to a pub where a second bottle of whiskey was purchased and consumed back at the house. The group then went to a nightclub where they bought a third bottle of whiskey. Some time around 3am, a dispute arose between Melnic and Mr Daghi. Witness Alexandru Beccieu (24) said both he and Mr Daghi were trying to calm Melnic down but the defendant was "very drunk". The witness said he went in between his friends to pull them apart when they started throwing punches at each other. Mr Beccieu said the defendant tried to hit him and was successful on the second occasion. He said Mr Daghi then got in between them and separated them. Mr Baccieu went to look for the defendant's car keys, because Melnic wasn't calming down after Mr Daghi told him to go home. When the witness came back, he said the defendant was "down" or on the ground with his hands on his head "trying to ward something off" and that Mr Daghi had a piece of a chair in his hand. A woman took Melnic into the house and Mr Baccieu and Mr Daghi stayed outside smoking a cigarette. The witness said Mr Daghi looked in the window of the house and saw Melnic and his sister pulling at each other. He said Mr Daghi went into the kitchen to see what was happening and came out seconds later. The witness continued: "Mr Daghi said he cut and fell down in front of me." Under cross-examination, Mr Beccieu agreed with Mr Grehan that Melnic must have had "a colossal amount" of the whiskey as the deceased didn't have a lot of alcohol in his system. A pathologist told the jury that Mr Daghi died from a single stab wound to the chest, which measured 13cm in depth, and death would have been very rapid. 73 milligrams of ethanol was detected in the deceased's system, which is just over 2.5 pints. Referring to the law of intoxication in his charge, Mr Justice Keane had said it is not a complete defence to murder and is there if the defendant's mind was in such a state from the effects of alcohol that he had not intended to kill or cause serious injury. He told the jurors if they had a doubt about that, then the verdict should be not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Having been arrested on suspicion of assault causing harm to Mr Daghi in the early hours of May 12, Melnic was deemed unfit for interview and was not questioned until 15 hours later. He told interviewing officers at Naas Garda Station that he and the deceased had been drunk and at some point an argument started. "A lot of drink was taken, my memory is very hazy," added the defendant. Melnic's sister, Angelina Spinu, had agreed that her evidence to a jury, where she had "painted a picture" of her own partner Mr Daghi "as the aggressor" in the altercation and holding a weapon, was "the complete opposite" to what was said in her garda statement. In her direct evidence at the Central Criminal Court, Ms Spinu denied to the prosecutor via a Romanian interpreter that she was trying to protect her brother. The jury had heard that Ms Spinu told gardai in her statement that her "kid brother" said to her husband "I will kill you" before he took a step forward and "pushed" a knife into his chest.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Fugitive Moldovan oligarch implicated in $1 billion bank fraud detained in Greece
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — A fugitive Moldovan oligarch implicated in a $1 billion bank fraud and other illicit schemes was detained Tuesday in Greece, Moldova's national police said. Vladimir Plahotniuc fled Moldova in 2019 as he faced a series of corruption charges including allegations of complicity in a scheme that led to $1 billion disappearing from a Moldovan bank in 2014, which at the time was equivalent to about an eighth of Moldova's annual GDP. Plahotniuc has denied any wrongdoing. Moldovan police said in a statement they were informed by Interpol's office in Athens that two Moldovan citizens had been detained, including Plahotniuc, who was placed on Interpol's international wanted list in February. Authorities did not name the other detainee. The Greek police unit tackling organized crime said Interpol was seeking Plahotniuc on suspicion of participating in a criminal organization, fraud and money laundering. Moldova's Ministry of Justice and Prosecutor's Office are in the process of exchanging information to begin seeking extradition of Plahotniuc and the other detainee, a government official told The Associated Press. Plahotniuc, one of Moldova's wealthiest men, fled to the U.S. from Moldova in June 2019 after failing to form a government with his Democratic Party. The U.S. declared him persona non grata in 2020 and his whereabouts were unknown for years. The powerful businessman and politician was added to a U.S. State Department sanctions list in 2022 for alleged corruption. The charges included controlling the country's law enforcement to target political and business rivals and meddling in Moldova's elections. He was added to a U.K. sanctions list in 2022 and barred from entering the country. His assets were frozen in the U.K. and its overseas territories.
