Novi Sad: Fake Workshop Fraud Gets Prison Sentence
A Novi Sad court sentenced an NGO representative to two years, eight months in prison for fabricating reports on 38 projects worth 15.9 million dinars. Prosecutors plan to appeal as too lenient.
The Special Department for Suppression of Corruption at the Higher Court in Novi Sad handed down a first instance verdict on September 4 against C. Dj., the legal representative of two citizens’ associations. He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for the continuing criminal offense of abuse of a responsible person’s position. The verdict is not final, and the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad has announced it will appeal.
C. Dj. represents the associations “Center for Social Development Solidarity” and “Agrobacka Association of Farmers”. The City of Novi Sad, the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the Republic of Serbia had allocated funds to these two associations for 38 projects, totaling 15,900,000 dinars.
At the main hearing, prosecutors proved that the activities planned under these projects were never carried out. According to the prosecutor’s office statement, C. Dj. submitted false reports to the funding bodies to justify the spending, describing workshops and lectures that never actually took place.
Arrested in January, indicted two weeks later
The case began eight months before the verdict. C. Dj. was arrested on January 12 on orders from the Special Department for Suppression of Corruption at the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad, and the Criminal Police Directorate ordered him held for up to 48 hours. After further evidence gathering, prosecutors filed an indictment with the Higher Court in Novi Sad on January 27.
He has been in custody since the day of his arrest. The court extended his detention even after the verdict, citing the risk that he would reoffend.
Sentence, ban and order to repay the money
Along with the prison term, the court imposed a safety measure banning C. Dj. from exercising any calling, activity or duty for ten years. It also ordered the seizure of proceeds gained from the crime. Under the verdict, C. Dj. must pay 15,300,000 dinars to the City of Novi Sad, the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the Republic of Serbia.
The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad is dissatisfied with how light the sentence is. In its statement after the verdict, it said:
“Dissatisfied with the length of the prison sentence handed down, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad informs the public that the Special Department for Suppression of Corruption of this prosecutor’s office will, once it receives the verdict, file an appeal within the legal deadline regarding the court’s decision on the sentence.”
According to the statement, the appeal does not challenge the finding of guilt or the bans and asset seizure that were ordered, only the length of the prison sentence.
