• Wednesday, 25 December 2024

Court orders 30-day detention for ex-UBK chief in “Vodno Lots” case

Court orders 30-day detention for ex-UBK chief in “Vodno Lots” case
Skopje, 22 December 2021 (MIA) - Skopje-based Criminal Court has issued on Wednesday a 30-day detention order for defendant Sasho Mijalkov in relation to case dubbed “Vodno Lots” following the requested detention by the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecuting Organized Crime and Corruption. “Court’s Council after receiving the request, held a session and passed a decision to accept the public prosecutor’s request and issued a 30-day detention order for the defendant,” reads the press release of the Basic Criminal Court. Court assessed that there is a risk the defendant Sasho Mijalkov to escape and parties may file an appeal against the decision to the Skopje Appellate Court. Earlier, the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office for Prosecuting Organized Crime and Corruption has filed on Wednesday detention request to the Skopje Basic Criminal Court for the defendant Sasho Mijalkov who is charged with money laundering in the case dubbed “Vodno Lots.” According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the prosecutor estimates that despite the provided financial guarantee and the precautionary measures, he is considered a flight risk and therefore the detention request is submitted. Former director of the Administration for Security and Counterintelligence (UBK) will be released from detention on a EUR 11,1 million bail, the Skopje-based Appellate Court told MIA. Mijalkov will first provide financial guarantees, whereas detention will be replaced by precautionary measures, namely confiscation of his passport and an obligation to report to the court. Mijalkov is in detention after the court sentenced him to eight years in prison for abuse of office in the “Vault” case in April. The verdict is still not final. Mijalkov was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the “Target-Fortress” case related to the mass surveillance and destruction of the UBK equipment used for the interception of communications. He is also a defendant in cases “Vodno Lots” and “Titanic 2” and a suspect in the “Empire” case, and he was acquitted in “Torture” case. Mijalkov has been in detention since February 26.