Defendants Fail to Show Up for Corruption Trial

Police did not locate Sabic, who failed to appear at the last hearing scheduled, for December 11, at his address after the Court had issued a warrant to apprehend him.

Judge Biljana Cukovic said the defendant’s wife said Sabic was in Sweden.

Mentioning that his defense attorney said at the last hearing that Sabic was in Slovenia, Cukovic said police would check on his actual whereabouts.

Meanwhile, as explained by defense lawyer Asim Crnalic, Ramo Brkic did not come to the court because of a car accident.

“We spoke two and a half hours ago. There was some car accident at Plivsko lake … I thought he would make it,” Crnalic said.

Judge Cukovic said she expected a justification of his absence.

“We shall issue an arrest warrant. If you submit a justification, we shall withdraw the warrant,” Cukovic said.

Defense attorney Crnalic said he did not know what kind of justification he could file in this situation.

Prosecutor Dzermin Pasic asked the court to provide him with results of the police checks, so the prosecution could submit certain proposals in the case.

Sabic and Brkic are under prohibitive measures, banning them from meeting certain persons.

The indictment alleges that they promised a certain amount of money to third defendant, Bosnian court judge Azra Miletic, in order to influence the outcome of a second-instance proceeding in which they were tried for organized crime.

This is the third time the beginning of this trial has been postponed.

January 14 is the new start date.