Accusations of high-level corruption, organized crime, and abuse of position have become almost a daily occurrence against officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Proceedings are conducted before the courts, the process of proving guilt or innocence is complex, and they often require the implementation of special investigative actions.
The criminal department of the Municipal Court in Tuzla, among other things, deals with solving cases in the field of corruption and organized crime. According to the work done so far, it is evident that high-level corruption does not bypass Tuzla either, and among those who deal with the implementation of criminal policy is Judge Damir Arnautovic.
“The issue of corruption is one of the most pressing and significant in the country. The court works based on the indictments submitted, which undergo preliminary control and, after their confirmation, enter the trial phase. Of course, there are accused persons who hold high-ranking roles in politics, however, the court must follow the principle of presumption of innocence, conducting the procedure in a way to determine whether that person has committed a criminal offense or not,” says Arnautovic.
The trial in such cases is carried out thoroughly, and the verdicts are very extensive.
“Each piece of evidence and detail must be explained here so that the verdict is understandable and objective,” Arnautovic stated, pointing out that after the first-instance verdict, if necessary, everything is considered in the appeals procedure when the final decision is made.
Practical experience shows that these are very complex cases, and internal measures have been taken within the framework of the Criminal Division in order to solve them more efficiently.
In the public eye, it often happens that indictments, as well as court processes against high-ranking people in politics, are characterized as politically staged, as stated by members of the defense.
“When it comes to the judiciary, I am convinced that judges do their work objectively and are not subject to any pressure, including that which may come from the media. The main role of the court is to make an objective and fair decision, in accordance with the evidence presented. The judge cannot assume or be guided by some other facts, which were not in the procedure. The decision will be checked by the courts of second instance, and some significantly more serious cases will certainly be concluded before the Court of Human Rights,” Arnautovic explained, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
