Ten persons arrested on suspicion of causing damage of around 123 million KM to Bobar Bank and the banking sector

Acting on orders from the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, police officers of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) began the implementation of an operational action this morning (31.3.2016) in the areas of Bijeljina, Banja Luka and Zvornik, reports the Patria news agency.

Ten suspects were deprived of liberty on grounds of reasonable suspicion that they committed the criminal offense of organized crime in connection with the criminal offenses of abuse of office or authority, abuse of authority in the economy, money laundering, forgery or destruction of official documents, failure to report the preparation of a criminal offense, and forgery or destruction of business or commercial books or documents (Criminal Code of RS).

The aforementioned individuals are suspected of having, as members of a criminal association, committed a series of illegalities in the operations of Bobar Bank, primarily in the granting of multi-million KM loans, as well as illegal bank guarantees for various transactions, in violation of procedures and guarantees prescribed by the Law on Banks of RS, thereby causing damage and enabling the acquisition of illegal property gain in the amount of approximately 123 million KM.

SIPA police officers are searching facilities at three locations in the areas of Bijeljina and Banja Luka with the aim of finding and temporarily seizing documentation and other items that may serve as evidence in further proceedings.

The persons deprived of liberty will be brought to the official premises of SIPA for criminal processing, after which, in accordance with the instructions of the acting prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, a decision will be made on their further status.