Controversial Romanian Businessman Sebastian Ghita, arrested for 18 days in Serbia

The Romanian General Inspectorate of Police (IGPR) said that Sebastian Ghita, the controversial businessman that has been missing since December 2016, has been arrested in Serbia for 18 days.

Ghita, who is tried and prosecuted in several corruption cases in Romania, will have to be extradited back in the country.

The IGPR stated that the Ministry of Justice has to start the extradition procedures for Ghita, who was detained by Serbian authorities after he used fake ID documents in Belgrade.

The former MP was detained on Friday morning by Serbian authorities. He had a Slovenian driver’s license and ID paper and was together with his brother when he was caught.

According to Romanian journalist Sorina Matei, Ghita had travelled through ten countries since going missing in Romania last year.

Former president Traian Basescu suggested that Ghita should receive the highest protection of the Romanian state, claiming that he has more intelligence on him even compared to Omar Hayssam, who is currently jailed for terrorism.

Ghita made a fortune through his IT firms that inked lucrative contracts with the state in various fields, including defense and healthcare.

In the recent years, he became a more pronounced media figure after opening his own TV station Romania TV.

Since going missing, the Ghita put out several recordings in which he claimed that all the media moguls in Romania were framed by prosecutors and that all the accusations were fabricated. The businessman added that he had a close relation with Laura Codruta Kovesi, the head of the National Anticorruption Department (DNA). The ex-MP further said that he went on vacation with lieutenant-general Florian Coldea, the first deputy of the director of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI). Coldea retired after Romania TV published this information.

Ghita went missing days after the extremist party that he backed, The United Romanian Party (PRU), failed to get into Parliament.

 

Source: Bussiness Review