Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/ BUCHAREST: A Romanian court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by controversial influencer Andrew Tate against his 30-day detention.
Tate is being investigated for alleged human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal group.
The former professional kickboxer, a British-US national, his younger brother and two Romanian women were taken into custody on December 29.
The next day, their detention 30 days were issued as prosecutors argued they might try to flee and evade investigation.
Romania court
Tate, dressed in black and handcuffed, arrived early on Tuesday at the court with his brother Tristan for a hearing, behind closed doors, over their appeal against the detention. The court dismissed their appeal, terming it “unfounded”.
They will stay in detention,” Ramona Bolla, a spokeswoman for Romania’s anti-organized crime and terrorism directorate (DIICOT), told AFP.
Their lawyer Eugen Vidineac said on Tuesday that defendants “were able to express themselves.”
“It was a long day,” he said at the end of the court hearing, which lasted several hours.
According to Vidineac, Tate brothers and the two Romanians were under investigation for allegedly coercing women into “forced labour and pornographic acts”, they intended to publish online for “substantial financial benefits”.
Tate, 36, and his brother, 34, denied charges.
Vidineac told the local media that there was no evidence to suggest that the detainees had been involved in rape crimes.
