Galić's move: Ivica Sabljo conditionally sentenced to one year in prison, dismissal from BiH Border Police pending!

By Amra Vrabac

Suspended police officer of the BiH Border Police Ivica Sabljo has been sentenced to a conditional prison term after reaching an agreement on a guilty plea with the BiH Prosecutor's Office, which the Court of BiH accepted and imposed the sentence.

"For the accused Sabljo, 1 year in prison, a probation period of 2 years, and a fine of 6000 KM," the BiH Prosecutor's Office told Patria.

The BiH Border Police told NAP that Sabljo has been suspended since October 3.

"Based on Article 61 of the Law on Administration and Article 112 of the Law on Police Officers of BiH, on 03/10/2022, a decision on temporary suspension was made, by which police officer Ivica Sabljo is temporarily suspended from the police body of the BiH Border Police, i.e., from his duties and tasks, until the disciplinary or criminal proceedings are concluded," reads the response from the BiH Border Police.

We remind you that the indictment of the BiH Prosecutor's Office includes six individuals, and the accused are charged with acting as a connected group, illegally demanding and receiving money from candidates who applied for police officer positions in the BiH Border Police, in order to, through corrupt actions and abuse of position, obtain and enable a higher number of points, as well as their employment in the Border Police, and to acquire illegal property benefits for themselves.

The investigation established that the accused demanded and received money in the amount of 10 to 30 thousand KM from candidates, in order to favor their passing the competition and employment in the BiH Border Police within their powers.

The BiH Prosecutor's Office also requested the confiscation of illegal property benefits, in the amount of over 100,000 KM, which was seized in the prosecutor's and police operation.

RELATED TEXT Raković provided data on candidates from whom money was demanded, Sabljo and Ramljak signed an agreement

The Law on Police Officers of BiH clearly stipulates sanctions for a police officer, namely termination of employment if they are finally convicted of a criminal offense to a prison sentence of six months or more.

Article 110 of the Law on Police Officers

"The mandatory disciplinary sanction of termination of employment is imposed if a police officer is finally convicted of a criminal offense to a prison sentence of six months or more."

Article 119 of the same law stipulates that a police officer's employment is terminated, and they automatically lose their status as a police officer when a final prison sentence of six months or more is imposed for a criminal offense.

The move is now up to the director of the BiH Border Police, Zoran Galić, whose close associate Sabljo was and whom he appointed to the Commission for Cadet Admissions. The list of 150 cadets was published on September 20, 2021, and the arrest operation was carried out on September 24. Earlier, Rejhan Raković, who was the president of the Cadet Admissions Commission, and Ensar Salčinović, a BiH Border Police officer, who were also accused, were dismissed.

In addition to Sabljo, the accused Mirza Ramljak also signed a guilty plea agreement and received 6 months in prison with a probation period of one year.