The Minister of Education of Canton Sarajevo (CS), Naida Hota-Muminovic, announced the consideration of changes to the regulations under an urgent procedure that will regulate the work of convicted pedophiles in the education system.
This confirmation comes after the information that the physical education teacher at Elementary School Grbavica 1, who was sentenced to a year in prison for lewd acts against a minor, is returning to his position in this school.
“Through the CS Government, we will send all the necessary initiatives in order to solve the issue of working with children for convicted pedophiles as comprehensively as possible. It is clear that regulations at lower levels of government, i.e. at the canton level, cannot sufficiently regulate this area, which must be covered by the provisions of the criminal law and the labor law as well. The application of the regulations certainly depends on the decisions of the judicial system, which create penal policies,“ it was said by the relevant Ministry.
Sports and physical education teacher of Elementary School Grbavica 1 in Sarajevo, Samir Alihodžić, was reinstated even though he was sentenced to one year in prison.
Alihodžić was found guilty in 2018 (first degree) after being accused two years earlier of exchanging messages and photos with a female student. The case was reported by her parents, after which the teacher was detained. At that time, he was a sports and physical education teacher at Elementary School Grbavica 1 and coach of the ORT Volleyball Club.
After the first-instance verdict, the Canton Sarajevo Prosecution did not propose any measures, so he could work unhindered as a teacher while waiting for the second-instance verdict.
After the final verdict in November of last year and a one-year prison sentence as well as a one-year ban on working as a teacher, nothing prevented Alihodžić from paying his prison sentence properly and thus finding himself free without going behind bars, and then returning to work because the law it does not prevent it.
The court also issued him a certificate of impunity, which gave him all the conditions to carry out his former job without hindrance. Interestingly, during the court process, Alihodžić was on unpaid leave.
Unfortunately, the school was unable to prevent the convicted pedophile from returning to the classroom because the law is not adequately regulated.
Regarding this topic, Klix.ba contacted the Prime Minister Edin Forto and the Minister of Education of Sarajevo Canton Naida Hota-Muminović and asked for answers. Unfortunately, they were left without a statement, except that the prime minister forwarded the contact of the relevant minister.
Alihodžić was sentenced according to Article 208, paragraph 2, in connection with paragraph 1 and in connection with paragraph 2 of Article 205 of the FBiH Criminal Code, which states that a teacher, educator, parent, adoptive parent, guardian, stepfather, stepmother or other person who taking advantage of her position or relationship with a minor entrusted to her for the purpose of education, upbringing, custody or care, performs sexual intercourse with him or an equivalent sexual act with him, shall be punished by a prison sentence of six months to five years.
E.Dz.
