On April 21st, in front of the Courthouse in Sarajevo, Tasim Kucevic, Bosnian mafia boss, has heavily slapped a woman, Safija Mahmutovic (an aunt of 2 young girls who were victims of Kucevic’s human trafficking). All that was happening in front of the camera of Federal Television (FTV).
Safija was laying on the ground because of the strength of the hit, and when FTV journalist Vildana Duran, tried to run and help her, she was stopped by Kucevic’s bodyguard, Enver Spahic, who took her by her both hands and pressed her against the gate, disabling her to move. Spahic has declared himself, however – not guilty.
Doubtful statement
„Since I was protecting the FTV journalist, Vildana Duran, I do reckon myself not guilty“, says Spahic briefly. On the video clips, it is very well seeable, that Spahic is holding the journalist for her hands against the gate, not allowing her to move.
Spahic’s lawyer says that Spahic was holding the journalist in order to protect her, since he was not sure about the safety of the emerged situation and, he wanted to allegedly, protect her from any sudden happenings.
Tasim Kucevic said that he declared himself guilty immediately and that he does not know why the Prosecutor’s Office did not adopt his statement. His lawyer, however says that the Prosecution did not took Kucevic’s statement into its consideration because Kucevic has asked for an agreement if he admits the guilt, and Prosecutor’s Office did not and does not intend to have any agreements or deals with Kucevic.
„Prosecution did not accept the offered agreement. The case is very sensitive and we reckon ourselves not really objective when it’s up to this case that shocked the whole public. That’s why we think that the Court should decide what the punishment will be for Kucevic“, said the prosecutor Oleg Cavka, who raised the appeal against Kucevic.
Court decision
For the brutal violence against Safija Mahmutovic, Kucevic is to be sentenced between 6 months to 5 years. Cavka said that the relieving circumstance for Kucevic is his cooperation during the investigation, while not so relieving circumstance is his prior criminal record, but as well the fact that he committed this violence on the place where he has just been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The document against Kucevic will be hand over to the other judge who will decide on the duration of the sentence. Spahic will however, go on trial, since his guilt is still not proved.
Strengthened measures
Two of the prosecuted were seen out of the jail in Sarajevo KPZ by court police who did everything in order to prevent possible incidents. Unlike cantonal, court police of B&H has made a great mistake on April 21st, and there are still no official confirmations of whether anyone took responsibility for that and has been sanctioned. During the attack on Safija Mahmutovic in the court yard, there was not even one court policeman who could’ve helped the victim when the incident happened.
Kucevic’s and Spahic’s criminal records
On the day when Kucevic hit Ms. Mahmutovic, he was sentenced to a compound term of imprisonment of 12 years and fined in the amount of 140 000 Euros for smuggling people, leading on prostitution and organized crime. His bodyguard, Enver Spahic was also, found guilty of the criminal offence of human trafficking and sentenced to a prison term of 4 years.
Kucevic and Spahic did not mention these punishments to the judge on the trial last week, but they rather focused on lighter punishments for which they were sentenced before.
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