Veljko Miljevic, lawyer to the former top executive of Dinamo Zagreb, Zdravko Mamic, commented on Wednesday the Osijek County Court ruling in which he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for tax evasion and syphoning money from the club.
“In my opinion, this ruling is not only unjust, but also illegal. This ruling can not be legal. I do not know if any of you are aware that I requested this morning that the hearing be reopened, because the Croatian State Attorney’s Office ordered that it be looked into whether there were any influences on court,” Miljevic said, after the first instance verdict was issued by the Osijek County Court.
His three co-defendants were also sentenced, his younger brother Zoran Mamic to four years and 11 months, former Dinamo executive Damir Vrbanovic to three years, and tax official Milan Pernar four years and two months in prison.
The four defendants were charged by the anti-corruption police Uskok with illegally syphoning 116 million kuna (€15.7 million) from the club, as well as tax evasion, for not paying 12.2 million kuna (€1.6 million) in taxes.
Zdravko Mamic was found guilty on all counts, Pernar and Zoran Mamic were found guilty for assisting in tax evasion and bribery. Both Mamic brothers were found guilty for diverting transfer fees for Luka Modric, and along with Vrbanovic, for diverting transfer fees paid to the club for Dejan Lovren.
Deputy Heads of anti-corruption police, USKOK, Sven Miskovic and Tonci Petkovic said they were satisfied with the conviction, but not the sentences, saying they were too lenient.
“After we analyse the paperwork we will file an appeal,” Miskovic said.
Mamic left Croatia yesterday for the town of Medjugorje in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatian law does not require defendants to attend verdicts.
Commenting on the verdict today, he said he had no intention to return to Croatia until the final verdict, and would remain in Bosnia. He has Bosnian citizenship.
“I will stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina, my other home. I am not a coward, everyone knows that. But I am not a masochist either. I will fight this from my other homeland, where I am free,” Mamic said earlier today, commenting on the verdict.
“I have no faith in Croatian institutions. I must consult (lawyers) to see what my options are, what my rights are as a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he added.
Bosnian Security Minister, Dragan Mektic, said in Sarajevo today that the law was clear, and that Mamic cannot be extradited to Croatia if he has Bosnian citizenship.
However, he added that did not mean Mamic will not serve time in prison. If he is sentenced in a final verdict in Croatia, he can serve his sentence in Bosnia and Herzegovina if Zagreb requests it based on an existing bilateral agreement.
The Osijek County Court on Wednesday issued a warrant for his arrest.
(€1 = 7.38 kuna)
Follow N1 via mobile apps for Android | iPhone/iPad | Windows| and social media on Twitter | Facebook.
