Former judge Lejla Fazlagić arrives in Sarajevo, pleads not guilty

(Patria) - Former judge of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo Lejla Fazlagić Pašić has returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina. She arrived for a hearing at the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo regarding a plea of not guilty, which was scheduled for 10 AM.

Fazlagić did not appear last week for her plea, citing illness and a COVID-19 diagnosis, which she later provided justification for.

Today, Fazlagić pleaded not guilty, stating she did not commit the acts she is accused of. She requested a court-appointed attorney, as she claims to have no income in Bosnia and Herzegovina and only holds a parent caregiver status at the Center for Social Work in Croatia.

Speaking about her plea, she said: "I returned to defend my honor." She claims the indictment was "fabricated" by judge Dalida Burzić, her former friend, and judge Adisa Zahiragić interrupted her, stating that now is not the time for such accusations and commenting that Fazlagić only returned after many years.

The indictment filed by the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office against judge Lejla Fazlagić in early 2018 states that 19 properties, worth almost eight million KM, were illegally re-registered. According to the Prosecution, she was assisted by certain judges, lawyers, notaries, court and municipal officials, and others. The Prosecution claims this was an organized criminal group led by Alija Delimustafić, former Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of BiH.

The indictment against Fazlagić was separated from the "Delimustafić" case, and the trial of the former minister began in April 2024, after multiple postponements.

Fazlagić has been unavailable to the BiH judiciary for eight years.