ZAGREB, July 17, 2018 – Prosecutorial authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the defence for former Croatian football boss Zdravko Mamić on Tuesday agreed that there were no legal grounds to extradite Mamić to Croatia during a hearing before the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Croatia’s Justice Ministry requested from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s judicial authorities to hand over Mamić after Osijek court in June sentenced him to six and a half years in jail for embezzlement and siphoning money from the Dinamo football club and tax evasion.
Prior to the sentence being delivered, Mamić fled the country to Bosnia and Herzegovina and a warrant was issued for his arrest. An extradition warrant was filed pursuant to the provisions of an international treaty in extradition and mutual legal assistance matters.
Bosnia’s prosecutor Gordana Bosiljčić said that it had been established that the preconditions for Mamić’s extradition had not been met. The fact that he has Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizenship prevents him from being extradited as does the fact that the crime he is convicted of was committed prior to 28 November 2012 when Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the international agreement.
Mamić’s defence attorney Zdravko Rajić agreed with the ruling saying that that was the only possible decision to be made.
The presiding judge, Tatjana Kosović, will advise the trial chamber that will deliver a formal and final decision whether Mamić can be extradited.
