January 15, 2008
A Romanian man confessed to a murder he did not commit because he wanted a lift home.
Marius Varzar, 23, from Botosani, had run out of money and wanted to be taken home by police, according to Ananova.
He told a police patrol in a village 100 miles from his home that he killed one of his friends and wanted to give himself up.
Varzar was arrested and taken to Botosani by a police van where officers were investigating the case of a man found dead in the street.
But he was charged and fined later after forensic evidence revealed the victim was not killed and died from natural causes.
The alleged murderer admitted he was only looking for a free ride home.
Local police spokesman Florin Gavrilet said: "After interrogating the suspect it turned out he drank all his money and wanted to return home, so he invented this crime."
Police did not say how much the man was fined but said the amount was established also to cover for the transportation expenses.