Judiciary Officials Charged With Bribe Taking

Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office alleges that court officials took bribes and disclosed official secrets.

Two judiciary officials from the Municipal Court in Sarajevo and lawyer Omar Mehmedbašić were arrested in a police operation that is investigating claims of bribery.

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Police Bureau took into custody Ekrem Bezdrob and Pašaga Selimović yesterday. They are accused of soliciting bribes from convicts and lawyers between 2013 and Nov. 24, 2015.

They received gifts in exchange for getting the convicts postponements of their sentences or easier alternative ways to serve them, such as wearing an electronic bracelet, said the Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo. Bezdrob and Selimović are also suspected of not reporting people who paid for these services and of disclosing official secrets.

Don't want to miss our stories?

Sign up for our newsletter.

Don't want to miss our stories?

Sign up for our newsletter.

After taking their statements, the Prosecutor’s Office will decide if they will be kept in custody.

The Bureau also arrested a Sarajevo lawyer Omar Mehmedbašić who was released today. His defense attorney Senad Kreho said he could not reveal why Mehmedbašić was released because of the continuing investigation.

“Investigation continues, probably. But, at least he will not be taken into custody,” Kreho told CIN.

The Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office said in a press release that one of the accused decided to collaborate with law enforcement and was interviewed as a witness.

Mehmedbašić himself told CIN that he had a witness status in the case.

The Center for Investigative Reporting in Sarajevo (CIN) has already profiled Mehmedbašić as one of the most paid court-appointed lawyers. According to CIN’s investigation, Mehmedbašić earned 864,000 KM between 2006 and 2010.

Extra Profit for Court Appointed Attorneys
Court appointed defenses represent lucrative business for a small number of attorneys. Their less well paid peers and some inmates say that judges in violation of regulations may even propose attorneys for certain jobs.

High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council decided to introduce a new system for assigning court-appointed lawyers to cases.

The Center for Investigative Journalism (CIN) is also available on mobile devices, and you can download the app from the Google Play and App Store.

Tags:

Center for Investigative Journalism is the holder of the certificate

Readers’ support helps CIN reveal corruption and organized crime.
Your donation supports investigative journalism as a public good.

Latest news

Narukvica iz porodilišta Univerzitetskog kliničkog centra RS-a (Foto: CIN)
A year later: The authorities still don't know where Sara is
The District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Banja Luka has questioned 40 witnesses over the past year, ordered the analysis of autopsy samples, and reviewed approximately...
Naslovna vijest 3
Digitalisation for Transparent Public Procurement
Digitalising procurement processes can enhance transparency and mitigate corruption risks. However, implementation is costly and requires specialised expertise,...
UIOBiH
Indictment Confirmed Against “Blackshirts” from the ITA BiH
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has confirmed the indictment brought by the State Prosecutor’s Office against Indirect Taxation Authority inspectors Jelena Majstorović,...
Load more

Anonimna prijava

Svojim anonimnim prijavama doprinosite integritetu naše zajednice. Molimo vas da iskoristite ovu formu kako biste sigurno prijavili bilo kakvu sumnju u korupciju ili nezakonitu aktivnost koju primijetite. Vaša hrabrost ključna je za očuvanje naših vrijednosti i promicanje transparentnosti.

Anonymous Report

By submitting your anonymous reports, you contribute to the integrity of our community. Please use this form to safely report any suspicions of corruption or illegal activities you may observe. Your courage is crucial in upholding our values and promoting transparency.