The preliminary hearing in the disciplinary case against the chief prosecutor of the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office, Sabina Sarajlija, will be held today before the First Instance Disciplinary Commission of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HJPCBiH), this regulatory body confirmed to FENA.
The Disciplinary Prosecutor’s Office (DPO) filed a disciplinary complaint against Sarajlija on July 13 for certain violations and, among other things, negligence in the performance of official duties.
In accordance with Article 88 of the Rules of Procedure of the HJPC of BiH, at the preparatory hearing, the parties must submit all the evidence they want to present during the procedure, state the names and addresses of the proposed witnesses and experts, and bring to the preparatory hearing all the documents and objects they want to use as evidence, except for those that require an order or approval from a competent authority.
At the same time, the Commission at the preliminary hearing decides what will be discussed at the main hearing, i.e. what are the disputed facts, what evidence will be accepted by the Commission, and what evidence will be presented at the main hearing is decided by the chairman of the Commission in consultation with other members.
According to the aforementioned rule of procedure, the date of the main hearing is determined at the preliminary hearing, which as a rule is held no later than 15 days from the date of the preliminary hearing (Article 92 of the Rules of Procedure).
As previously stated by the DPO, the lawsuit against Sarajlija was filed due to disciplinary violations from Article 57, point 1 “violation of the principle of impartiality”, point 8 “negligence or inattention in the performance of official duties” and point 12 “interference in the proceedings judges or prosecutors with the intention of obstructing or underestimating their activities” of the Law on the HJPC of Bosnia and Herzegovina.