The trial of the suspended President of the State Court, Ranko Debevac, the former director of the Intelligence and Security Agency, Osman Mehmedagić, and the employee of the Court, Milisav Pijuk, who are charged with multiple crimes, will begin on April 8 with the reading of the indictments and the opening statements of the parties in the proceedings.
The prosecutor of the Special Department of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Jovan Katic, said that during the upcoming evidentiary proceedings, he will hear 46 witnesses, six experts and submit material evidence, which will take him six hours.
He submitted to the defense and the Court a written explanation of the circumstances to which the witnesses will testify and to which counts of the indictment.
The defense had no objections to the actions of Judge Ajla Papović-Mujan in this case, but they did object to the actions of the Special Department of the Supreme Court of the Federation.
Tanja Savić, Debevac’s defense attorney, said that she will stick to the objection of lack of jurisdiction, but will respect the final decision of the Supreme Court of the Federation. She asked how this court will continue its work when this case is permanently contaminated, and that it has an indictment that it has not previously controlled or confirmed.
She stated that the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina found a violation of the rights of the accused Debevac, that the decision on detention was not made by the competent court. In this presentation, Vasić referred to earlier actions and that the Extrajudicial Panel of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina was formed, which was not legal, and which decided in this case.
At the beginning of October last year, Debevec appealed to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and requested that the decision confirming the indictment be annulled.
“The defense has a problem that a disciplinary proceeding is being conducted against Debevac in parallel with this. A certain number of witnesses from this proceeding are also witnesses in the disciplinary proceeding. The ban on meeting with witnesses is still in force. The right of the accused is threatened,” said Vasić.
She also raised the question of the application of the Law on Criminal Procedure and which law this court will apply.
“The Court of BiH could not act in this case, and a million and one actions were taken against me,” said Debevec.
Attorney Nermin Mulalić, who defends Mehmedagić, stated that “we are in unknown waters” when it comes to this case due to the special situation related to the actions of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the multiplication of problems.
He said that since the day of the arrest, December 18, 2023, they indicated that the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH could not act in this case and that they submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court of BiH.
“This court has an obligation to act in a way that will stop the violation of the right to a fair trial. I am sure that this court will find answers to all challenges. In my opinion, the Court, with a holistic approach, has the possibility to enable the right to a fair trial, in a procedure in which it was decided that the key steps in the early stages were taken by the Court, which the Constitutional Court said was not impartial,” explained Mulalić.
Pijuk’s defense attorney, Ratko Gengo, said that this court has no basis for the criminal offenses charged against his client.
“This defense filed appeals. We leave the rest to be evaluated by the Court,” added Gengo.
The case against Debevac, Mehmedagić and Pijuk was transferred on several occasions from the State Court to the Municipal Court in Sarajevo and the Special Division of the Supreme Court. Ultimately, in February of this year, it was decided that it would be conducted before the Special Division of the Supreme Court of the Federation.
According to an earlier statement by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Debevec was accused of abuse of position or authority, forgery of an official document, receiving a reward or other form of benefit for trade in influence, unauthorized wiretapping and sound or optical recording, as well as for false representation and violation of the Law on Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mehmedagić is charged with falsifying an official document, as well as abuse of position or authority, while Pijuk, together with Debevac, is included in the count of the indictment that charges them with false representation and violation of the Law on Gender Equality of BiH.
The judge of the Special Department of the Supreme Court, Ajla Papović-Mujan, said that she will appreciate the objections during the procedure and that the Supreme Court has made a final decision and will act in that direction.
The reading of the accused and presentation of the opening statement is scheduled for April 8, reports BIRN BiH.
(TYPE/Source: Fena/Photo: Archive)
