On Friday, the Banovići Municipal Court confirmed the indictment of the Tuzla Canton Prosecutor’s Office against Bega Gutić.
The Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of the Tuzla Canton filed an indictment against Bega Gutić (55) from Banovići due to the existence of a well-founded suspicion that in the period from May 2020 to July 2023, as president of the Municipal Organization of the Democratic Action Party (SDA) Banovići, and since December 2020 as the head of the Municipality of Banovići, he committed criminal offenses in connection with receiving rewards or other forms of benefits for trading in influence, giving gifts or other forms of benefits and participating in a group of people that prevents an official from performing an official act. The indictment was submitted to the Municipal Court in Banovići for confirmation.
In the first count of the indictment, Gutić is accused of having, in the period from May 2020 to March 2021, using his political and social influence, mediated with the newly elected acting director of the Banovići Brown Coal Mine, who was also a member of the SDA political party, to have two employees, who were members of another political party and trade union, dismissed and reassigned to lower-paid jobs places. In December 2020, he additionally intervened to have another worker transferred because of his wife’s political views.
In the second count of the indictment, it is charged that in February 2022, using his position as mayor and chairman of the SDA Municipal Board, he offered a councilor from the opposition party an illegal benefit in the form of the employment of members of his family in public institutions and companies, with the aim of the councilor leaving his party and joining the SDA Banovići councilors’ club, which would ensure a political majority in the municipal council. council. The councilor rejected the offer, and the defendant’s actions were contrary to the principle of legality and transparency, thus he knowingly violated the Code of Conduct adopted by the Banovići Municipal Council, and acted contrary to the provisions of the Law on Conflict of Interest in Authorities in FBiH.
In the third count of the indictment, Gutić is accused of using his political and official position to organize a public gathering of citizens in front of the Banovići Municipality building in July 2023 with the aim of preventing councilors from entering the premises of the Banovići Municipality Council. The gathered citizens, led by the accused, physically prevented access to the councilors, with verbal and physical attacks, which prevented the legislative body of the municipality from performing its official action in accordance with the law, announced the TK Prosecutor’s Office.
Related:
After the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Turkey filed an indictment against him, Bego Gutić announced: ‘I will prove my innocence before the Court in a politically staged trial’
TK Prosecutor’s Office: Indictment filed against Bega Gutić (55) from Banovići for several criminal offenses
(TIP/Photo: Archive)
