Trial of Fikret Hodžić and 'F.H. Srebrena malina' Scheduled for January 28

(Patria) - The Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has scheduled the start of the retrial of Fikret Hodžić and the legal entity "F. H. Srebrena malina" for the end of January, Hodžić's attorney Mirna Avdibegović confirmed to Patria.

The trial is scheduled for January 28.

The trial of Hodžić and the legal entity "F. H. Srebrena malina" was scheduled after the Appellate Chamber of the State Court overturned the first-instance verdict and decided on a retrial. This decision followed the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina accepting Hodžić's appeal and returning the case to the Court of BiH to remedy the violation of the right to a fair trial.

By the verdict of the Court of BiH, former federal prime minister Fadil Novalić, former director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration Fahrudin Solak, and owner of the company "F. H. Srebrena malina" Hodžić were sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison for abuses in the procurement of respirators during the coronavirus pandemic, while former finance minister Jelka Miličević was acquitted.

In that proceeding, Hodžić was sentenced to five years in prison for abuse of position, while the company "F. H. Srebrena malina" was found responsible for disposing of illegally acquired assets and fined 200,000 KM.