Bosnia Intelligence Chief Detained for Suspected Abuse of Office
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Osman Mehmedagić, director of the Intelligence and Security Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Photo: BIRN
Osman Mehmedagic, director of the Intelligence and Security Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, OSA, was detained by members of the Sarajevo Canton Interior Ministry as part of an investigation into abuse of office, it was announced on Wednesday.
The Sarajevo Cantonal ministry confirmed to BIRN that Mehmedagic has been detained and is now in the official premises set aside for criminal investigation.
“The Prosecutor’s Office of BiH is conducting an investigation in which the suspect, Mehmedagić, is charged with the crime of abuse of position or authority, forgery of a document and money laundering,” the State Prosecutor’s Office announced.
The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Mehmedagić was arrested on their orders and that the acting prosecutor is coordinating the work of police in the field, and will order further activities in the case during the day.
The Prosecution and police did not provide more details about the investigation.
The State Prosecutor’s Office previously confirmed that it conducted searches in Tuzla, Lukavac and Sarajevo with the aim of finding documentation, evidence and the official records of the American University in Tuzla.
Denis Prcic, director of the university, who attended the search in Tuzla, told the media at the time that the case related to the issue of a diploma to Mehmedagic, who was a former student at the American University. He stated that he was being pressured to annul the diploma.
Local media reported earlier that Mehmedagic is also under investigation over the purchase of his house but that was not officially confirmed.
Mehmedagic and OSA officer Muhamed Pekic have previously been tried for abuse of office or authority.
They were acquitted of charges that, by abusing their positions in August 2020, they obtained a surveillance video from BH Post and so obtained the identity of the sender of an anonymous report against the OSA chief.
Last year, the Prosecutor’s Office filed another indictment against Mehmedagic and Selmo Cikotic, State Security Minister, and Muriz Druskic, a retired senior OSA employee, for abuse of office or authority, but the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina rejected the indictment.
