Indictment Filed: Pendeš Paid Jović 17,000 KM Even Though He Did Not Come to Work

The Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina has filed an indictment against the Minister of Defense of BiH, Marina Pendeš. Pendeš is charged with negligent work in office and forgery of official documents during the time she served as Deputy Minister of Defense, reports the Patria news agency.

During her tenure as deputy, she enabled her advisor Ivo Miro Jović to receive his salary and allowances, even though he did not regularly come to work nor was he present at his workplace.

To conceal this, according to the indictment, Pendeš issued an order to her secretary to keep records as if Jović was coming to work. Subsequent checks established that he did not come to work, yet he received salaries and allowances.

The budget of Bosnia and Herzegovina was thus damaged by 17,000 KM.

Eight witnesses and expert witnesses will testify against Pendeš. Along with the indictment, which will be forwarded to the Court of BiH for confirmation, 70 pieces of evidence have been attached.

Investigation into fuel procurement

Against Pendeš, SIPA, at the order of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, is conducting several more investigations due to abuse of official position and authority. Among other things, this includes the procurement of fuel for the Armed Forces of BiH, after which, it is suspected, the budget of Bosnia and Herzegovina was damaged by more than 300,000 KM.

The fuel procurement was also suspicious to state auditors. After the audit, they submitted the materials to the state Prosecutor's Office.

-We have established that during fuel delivery, suppliers do not adhere to the agreed deadlines, so that in most cases fuel delivery is carried out at the moment of a price increase, among other things, states the finding of the Audit Office.