Judges from the Bucharest Court sentenced Turkish businessman Abdullah Atas to 23 years and six months in prison for murder, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving under the influence.

Atas was sent to court in Romania after intentionally hitting a Road Police officer with his car back in 2015. The policeman died a few weeks later.

According to the court’s ruling, the Turkish businessman also has to pay damages worth EUR 400,000 to the policeman’s relatives. However, the Bucharest Court’s decision is not final and can be appealed, reports local News.ro.

Abdullah Atas was sent to court in September 2015 on charges of aggravated murder, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving under the influence. The businessman has been under preventive arrest since 2015.

In early August 2015, Atas hit Road Police officer Gheorghe Ionescu with his car during a night traffic control mission in Bucharest’s Pipera neighborhood. The police officer waved the Turkish businessman to stop, but instead of doing so Abdullah Atas accelerated his car and ran him over.

The policeman was carried on the hood of the car for some 350 meters before being thrown off. He suffered multiple head trauma and other injuries. He had multiple surgeries at the Floreasca Emergency Hospital, but remained in a coma, and passed away after three weeks.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com