Novalić and others: Invoice supplemented with a stamp featuring a star and Chinese characters

(Patria) - In the trial for abuses during the procurement of respirators, an expert witness for the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina stated that a factura was found in the laptop of the accused Fikret Hodžić, created by combining two documents, i.e., by adding an image of a stamp with a star and Chinese characters.

Information and computer expert Saša Mrdović stated that this document was sent to Hodžić's computer on April 15, 2020, and the sender was from the address “sanjabtlmedical”.

A document titled “Proforma Invoice” for 100 respirators of the ACM 812A model at a total price of 3.9 million euros was displayed in the courtroom.

“This is a text document, except for this part where the stamp is, which was inserted as an image… A word processor was used,” explained Mrdović.

He also testified about the hard drive from Kristian Marić's phone, where he found three documents created by inserting images. He added that the image contained a star with Chinese characters.

Marić was heard as a prosecution witness at previous hearings and spoke about making an extra profit through the contract with “F.H. Srebrena malina” for the procurement of respirators.

Responding to questions from Hodžić's Defense, the expert witness said that he did not determine that the disputed invoice was created on the accused's laptop, but rather that it was sent to him.

For abuse of office during the procurement of respirators, the accused are Federal Prime Minister Fadil Novalić, suspended Director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration (FUCZ) Fahrudin Solak, Director of the company “F.H. Srebrena malina” Fikret Hodžić, as well as the company itself, and Federal Minister of Finance Jelka Miličević, who is charged with negligent work.

Vesna Kočević, whose agency managed the accounting for “Srebrena malina” based in Srebrenica, was also heard as a prosecution witness.

Kočević recounted how the company received a payment of 10,530,000 convertible marks (KM) and how Hodžić told her it was for the import of goods and that she would receive an invoice. She said they were sent a customs declaration, which contained the necessary data for value-added tax (VAT) payment.

She confirmed that they received the invoice in mid-July, but did not know why it was not submitted immediately. She stated that the accused's brother submitted the invoice, as Hodžić was prohibited from contact due to the ongoing proceedings.

Prosecutor Džermin Pašić questioned the witness about the 100,000 KM that Hodžić withdrew from the “Srebrena malina” account on April 27. The witness explained that the money was withdrawn within the cash limit, which is usually announced to banks monthly, and which had been a few thousand marks for Hodžić's company until then.

Kočević said that Hodžić called because the bank where he withdrew the money requested an announcement of the cash limit for the withdrawn 100,000 KM, and her agency prepared it retroactively. She said they never received decisions from “Srebrena malina” regarding the spending of that money.

“They ceased business activities, and it remained unsettled for us. They didn't manage to do it,” said the witness.

In response to questions from the Defense, she stated that she was aware that the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) had seized 87,000 KM from the “Srebrena malina” branch in Ilijaš.

The witness said that the company was involved in raspberry procurement and that it is legally permissible to make payments to suppliers from the cash register. She confirmed that “Srebrena malina” had about a hundred cooperants and that advance payments were common.

Prosecutor Džermin Pašić commented in additional questions that it was strange how the money from the cash register was found at the branch, and not at the company's headquarters in Srebrenica, where the producers are located. Defense attorney Mirna Avdibegović stated that this was not true and that SIPA had initially registered the money at the headquarters in Srebrenica.

The trial continues on January 21, reports BIRN.