Hoffmann, Ibrić and Pejičić Suspended for Abuse of Position

Director of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zoran Galić, on December 1, 2014, in accordance with the powers and responsibilities prescribed by the Law on Administration and the Law on Police Officers of BiH, issued decisions temporarily suspending police officers Svevlad Hoffmann and Fahro Ibrić from their tasks and duties in the Border Police of BiH until the conclusion of criminal proceedings or the conclusion of the criminal investigation, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

This confirmed the reporting of the news agency Patria that the Prosecutor's Office of BiH had opened an investigation, and Hoffmann was not available for comments yesterday.

- I have no comment - said Hoffmann, who on Saturday stated that he would regularly come to work on Monday, when he received the suspension decision.

- In order to objectively inform the public, we emphasize that the decision was preceded by an order to conduct an investigation against the mentioned officers by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, which the Border Police of BiH received on November 28, 2014, due to reasonable suspicion that the police officers committed the criminal offense of "association for the purpose of committing criminal acts" under Article 249, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of BiH, in connection with the criminal offense of "abuse of position or authority" under Article 220, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of BiH - stated the Border Police of BiH.

They stated that the Office for Professional Standards and Internal Control of the Border Police of BiH had previously submitted a proposal for imposing a measure of temporary suspension until the conclusion of criminal proceedings or the conclusion of the criminal investigation, based on Article 112 of the Law on Police Officers of BiH, in connection with Article 114, paragraph 3 of the Law on Police Officers of BiH, for police officers S. H. and F. I. Considering that it would be detrimental to the Border Police of BiH for the officers to remain on duty in this police body, the aforementioned decisions were made.

Also, in accordance with the Law on Administration and the Law on Civil Service in the Institutions of BiH, Director Galić issued a decision suspending civil servant Nevenka Pejičić from her duties and tasks in the Border Police of BiH as of December 1, 2014, due to reasonable suspicion that she committed the criminal offense of "abuse of position or authority" under Article 220, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of BiH.