PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF BIH CONDUCTED A DECISIVE ACTION IN FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION. THREE SUSPECTS DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY
26.02.2015. 11:57Upon the order of a Prosecutor of the Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, police officers of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) have deprived the following persons of liberty:
- Ramo Brkić, the accused person against whom court proceedings are being conducted before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
- Senad Šabić, the accused person against whom court proceedings are being conducted before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
- Azra Miletić, a Judge of the Appellate Division of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The aforementioned persons are subject to investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and they are suspected of the following criminal offenses:
- Azra Miletić – Accepting Gifts and Other Forms of Benefits and Violation of Law by a Judge,
- Ramo Brkić- Giving Gifts and Other Forms of Benefits, and
- Senad Šabić - Giving Gifts and Other Forms of Benefits
In the course of this day, the aforementioned suspects will be handed over to the Prosecutor in charge of the case who will question them as suspects and subsequently render a decision whether to file a motion for custody or a motion for prohibiting measures.
Currently, we are not in a position to provide more information for public and media.
Press Release of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(26.02.2015.)
In the evening hours of 25 February 2015, Judge Azra Miletić of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina was arrested and taken to the SIPA premises on the grounds for suspicion that she committed the criminal offense of accepting gifts and other forms of benefits, as well as violation of law by a judge. At this moment, in the interest of the ongoing investigation, no further details are available.
This is certainly a disturbing development, since Judge Miletić holds a highly responsible function in this state-level judicial institution. Although this stage of the proceedings concerns grounds for suspicion, not an established guilt, which means a stage of the proceedings where the presumption of the suspect’s innocence applies, we believe that the existing situation by itself casts a shadow on the reputation of our institution and may undermine public trust in the judiciary.
The Court of BiH therefore assures the public that all persons, regardless of the position they hold in any institution, will be held accountable before the law and that they will not be shielded in any way whatsoever. The Court of BiH will dissociate itself from all individuals who through their dishonest actions might bring into question the integrity of the other members of the judiciary and the reputation of our institution we have been building for years.
We wish to reiterate that at this stage of proceedings Judge Miletić has not been accused but suspected of the foregoing criminal offense, and is as such a subject of an ongoing investigation.
Today’s case is an indicator of the commitment of state-level judicial institutions and their readiness to tackle corruptive activities, even within their own ranks, equally as in all other spheres of our society. This is why we wish to send a strong message to all those who will wish to take advantage of the situation the Court has found itself in and use it as an argument to discredit the Court, that we resent such allegations, and we believe that today’s case is a sign of the institutional strength of this court, as well as of its readiness to fight corruption in the judiciary.
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina calls all institutions, in the context of general fight against corruption, to first deal with those within their own ranks and to speak publicly about it. We take this opportunity to call and encourage the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to report to the relevant institutions any information about any form of corruption so that we could fight together against the plague that has taken hold of our entire society.