A hearing before the Appellate Panel of Section II for Organised Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the case of Leonard Dushi and Another has been scheduled for tomorrow, 25 January 2007 in courtroom 8, starting at 10.00am.

On 31 October 2006, the Trial Panel rendered its verdict, finding Leonard Dushi guilty of Organised crime, Forgery of documents, and the Extended criminal offence of aggravated theft and sentencing him to 5 years imprisonment. The Trial Panel found that, as a member of a criminal organisation, Leonard Dushi transported several individuals, who did not comply with the requirements for legal entry, into Bosnia and Herzegovina from Montenegro.  The Accused also forged a number of identification documents.  Further, on two occasions he broke into the General servis DOO Sarajevo („Gorenje“) premises, stealing goods and causing losses to the company in the amount of around KM 10,500.00.

The second Accused, Eljmi Iseni, was convicted of being an accessory to Smuggling of persons for aiding Leonard Dushi to illegally transport individuals over the state border.  Eljmi Iseni received a suspended sentence of 10 months, which will not be executed if he does not commit another criminal offence within 2 years starting from the date the verdict becomes final.

Appeals were filed by defence counsel for Leonard Dushi and Eljmi Iseni, as well as Leonard Dushi himself.  On 9 January 2007, the Appellate Panel rendered a decision rejecting the appeals filed by Leonard Dushi and the defence attorney for Eljmi Iseni due to their filing outside the legally prescribed deadline.