Three friends of a defendant in pre-trial detention are accused of trying to influence a 15-year-old victim and witnesses in the rape trial.

A suspect in preventive detention allegedly sent friends to pressure his victim, a 15-year-old girl, to withdraw her rape complaint. The police conducted 7 searches in Ploiești on Wednesday and in a neighboring commune, targeting the suspect's accomplices, who are aged between 15 and 20 years old.

They allegedly tried to intimidate other teenagers who were about to testify. One of the suspects reportedly posed as a police officer to be more convincing. All those involved were taken for questioning, and influencing statements is punishable by up to 5 years in prison.