Murder conviction in Lukavac upheld, 20 years in prison, victim's body never found

(Patria) - The Supreme Court of FBiH confirmed the first-instance verdict of the Cantonal Court of Tuzla, rendered based on the indictment of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla, for Samel Ćatić (40) from Lukavac, who at the end of July 2023, in the village of Tumare in the Lukavac area, committed the murder of the ninety-year-old J. Đ. Ćatić was sentenced to the maximum prison term of 20 years for the criminal offense of murder under Article 166, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of FBiH by a final verdict.

"Although the victim's body was never found, the team of prosecutors and investigators, under the leadership of prosecutor Danica Arapović Kovačević, showed exceptional professionalism and dedication in the investigation and in filing the indictment. The court was presented with a strong and interconnected chain of evidence – from material and forensic findings to testimonies and other material evidence – which unequivocally confirmed that the murder was committed and that the accused was responsible for it. This verdict also represents an important legal precedent, as it confirms that a conviction can be reached even without finding the victim's body, provided that the evidence removes all reasonable doubt.

We remind that the indictment charged Ćatić with entering the house of this elderly woman, located in a secluded place in Tumare, during the night of July 30th to the morning of July 31st, 2023, and inflicting multiple blows on her, leading to bleeding and her death. To conceal the traces, he wrapped her body in a blanket and mattress and hid it in an unknown location, and the victim's body has not been found to this day.

The Prosecutor's Office conducted the investigation in this case in cooperation with the Criminal Police Sector of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of TK, and investigators from the Center for Forensic Examinations, Expertise, and Research of the Federal Police Administration also participated in the investigation, and the Agency for Forensic Examinations and Expertise of the Ministry of Security of BiH was also involved in certain expert examinations," announced the TK Prosecutor's Office.