DETENTION EXTENSION SOUGHT FOR 3 SUSPECTS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA BORDER POLICE CADET ADMISSION CASE

SARAJevo, (Patria) – A hearing was held today at the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the request for a three-month detention extension for three suspects, Rejhan Raković, Ensar Salčinović, and Kenit Čakić, who were arrested on September 24.

Raković, Salčinović, and Čakić are suspected of committing the criminal offense of receiving a gift or other benefit under Article 217, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CC BiH), receiving a reward or other benefit for influence peddling under Article 219, Paragraph 1 of the CC BiH, and abuse of office or authority under Article 220, Paragraph 1 of the CC BiH, in connection with the admission of cadets to the Border Police of BiH.

The Court of BiH will make a decision on the detention extension tomorrow.

On Wednesday, December 15, members of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) searched the family home in Bihać where the parents of the arrested member of the Border Police of BiH and president of the Commission for the Admission of Cadets to the Border Police of BiH, Rejhan Raković, live.

The Prosecutor's Office of BiH announced at the time that another suspect had been arrested in the continuation of the “Konak” operation.

“Acting on the order and in coordination with a prosecutor from the Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime, and Corruption, SIPA police officers arrested another suspect within the scope of an extensive investigation into high-level corruption during the tender and employment procedures in the Border Police of BiH. Searches of certain facilities in Bihać and Sarajevo were also carried out. The suspect will be brought before the acting prosecutor, who will make a decision on further actions after the interrogation. Following the earlier arrest of three suspects and the conduct of investigative activities, the investigation has been expanded to include additional individuals found to be connected to illegal activities and corrupt practices within the tender procedures for employment in the Border Police of BiH, as well as for obstructing the investigation conducted by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and partner institutions,” the Prosecutor's Office of BiH announced.

However, it is not known whether detention was requested for this individual or if they were released after interrogation. Another person was arrested in Travnik on December 13, interrogated, but the Prosecutor's Office did not request detention.

The Prosecutor's Office of BiH claims that the acting prosecutor, along with partner police and security agencies, continues an intensive investigation into this case towards a prosecutorial decision, and this case has been classified as high-level corruption. The case is complex because it involves the largest police agency in BiH, and the tender that is the subject of the investigation has been halted, with its outcome still unknown. One of the proposals was to annul the tender, but that would mean the Border Police of BiH would remain without much-needed officers for a longer period. Another proposal was to repeat the candidate testing procedure if there were suspicions of “rigged” scores. However, everything is currently on hold.

Raković was arrested just four days after the list of 150 admitted cadets was published. He was found with 100,000 KM and lists of candidates.

Allegedly, between 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 KM were taken for the admission of cadets, depending on the position.

Following the arrest, the Director of the Border Police of BiH, Zoran Galić, suspended Raković and removed him from his position as president of the Commission.