News
SUSPECTED COLONEL OF BIH ARMED FORCES DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY DUE TO INVESTIGATION INTO ABUSE OF OFFICE
11.12.2018. 13:31The suspect has been deprived of liberty as part of the case conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), which relates to the criminal offence of Abuse of Office or Official Authority, as referred to in Article 220 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He is charged with abusing his official position and authority while he was in the capacity of an active member of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the rank of a Colonel, and with unlawfully seeking and receiving money from persons engaged in agriculture, so as to make possible for those persons to use the land which is under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The investigation has shown that, on two occasions, the aforementioned suspect came in his vehicle and requested and received money from the aforementioned persons, outside the official facilities and premises, all in order to use his position and assist those persons in the use of the said military land.
In this case, the cooperation with the Military Police Battalion of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been established, and the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been informed about the implemented activities.
The suspect will be handed over to the Prosecutor in charge of the case, who will question the suspect and subsequently make a decision regarding further activities in this case.
This announcement does not prejudice the outcome of the criminal proceedings and does not violate the principle of the presumption of innocence. A person shall be considered innocent of a crime until guilt has been established by a final verdict (Article 3, paragraph 1 of the CPC BiH).