ROMANIA: A Romanian court has ruled that several key pieces of evidence in the human trafficking case against internet personality Andrew Tate and his co-defendants be removed, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal battle.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the court, in its ruling on Tuesday (Nov 19), also gave prosecutors five days to decide whether to proceed with the case or withdraw it altogether.
Setback for prosecutors
The Bucharest court sided with Tate’s legal team, ruling that certain evidence presented by prosecutors was inadmissible. This included statements from two main alleged victims and witness testimonies from the Tate brothers.
The court also found serious flaws in the indictment, such as inaccurate descriptions of the alleged acts committed by the female suspects, missing details on the seizure of assets, and insufficient clarification of the charges against Tate.
The ruling highlighted legal rights violations and inconsistencies in the indictment, ordering the anti-organized crime unit DIICOT to rectify these irregularities.
The court’s decision has forced prosecutors to review their case file within five days and determine whether they will move forward with the trial or withdraw the charges.
Indictment and charges against Tate
Andrew Tate, his brother Tristan, and two Romanian women were officially indicted in June 2023 on charges of human trafficking. All four suspects deny the allegations.
Tate and his brother, both former kickboxers with dual US and British citizenship, are among the most high-profile figures facing trial for human trafficking in Romania.
Tate’s defence team has long maintained the brothers’ innocence, calling the accusations baseless. Following the court’s decision, lead defence attorney Eugen Vidineac described the ruling as a “monumental victory” for their clients, stressing the lack of substantiated evidence against them.
Growing legal troubles for Tate
In addition to the human trafficking case, the Tate brothers are facing further legal scrutiny. In August, prosecutors announced a second criminal investigation, accusing them and four others of forming an organized criminal group involved in human trafficking, money laundering, trafficking minors, and sexual offenses.
Tate also faces a British arrest warrant and is expected to be extradited after the conclusion of the Romanian trial proceedings, according to a March ruling.
In response to the latest court decision, Andrew Tate posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that the evidence in the case file was fabricated and asserting that the women involved had lied.
As of now, DIICOT has not commented on the court’s ruling, and the case’s outcome remains uncertain as the investigation continues.