The third-instance panel of the State Court confirmed a sentence of ten months in prison and 5,000 KM to the former director of the Service for Joint Affairs of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dragan Šojić, for abuse of position or authority. The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed that it has received the third-degree verdict against Šojić, who was sentenced to ten months in prison and fined 5,000 KM.
At the beginning of March, the Appellate Council found that Šojić exceeded his authority and used official cars to cross the border with Serbia and Montenegro in numerous cases from 2018 to 2022. It was established that as the director or deputy director of the Service, he had two vehicles at his disposal and that it was stipulated that they could be used 24 hours a day, and that an official order was issued for traveling abroad. He was registered at border crossings, as determined by the Appellate Council, without being sent on an official trip, and on those occasions he used official vehicles for private purposes.
In this way, as determined by the Appellate Council, Šojić obtained an illegal benefit in the amount of 2,726 marks – the amount of fuel and vehicle servicing costs for nearly 10,000 kilometers driven.
The second-instance verdict acquitted Šojić of receiving a salary and a hot meal when he was not fully or at all at work. As stated, there are no powers that the accused could use in those cases. He was also acquitted for several cases of using an official vehicle within Bosnia and Herzegovina. Part of the accusations were rejected because Šojić was not questioned about those circumstances in the investigation.
The appellate panel renewed the proceedings after annulling the first-instance verdict, which acquitted Šojić of the charges in January 2024.
At the appeal session before the Third-instance panel of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina held in mid-October, the Prosecution requested a higher sentence, while the Defense requested that the second-instance verdict be changed to an acquittal.
No appeal is allowed against this verdict, reports BIRN BiH.
(TYPE/Source: Detektor.ba)
