SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
The Public Prosecution for Organised Crime (PPOC) issued on Wednesday an arrest warrant against the Head of the Special Public Prosecution (SPO) Katica Janeva. The arrest of Janeva comes only one day after her testimony as a witness in the investigation over the “Racketeering” case in which 1TV owner Bojan Jovanovski and businessman Zoran Mileski are suspected for extortion and money laundering. The latest findings in the investigation over this case now qualify Janeva as a suspect, with PPOC suspecting that Janeva abused her official position to act out milder decisions against a suspect tried in the “Empire” case. Janeva was taken by police officers from her residence in the settlement of Kozle, Skopje, and was taken to the premises of SPO, where the police confiscated the computer from her office. From here, she was taken back to her residence in Kozle, from where the police confiscated several pieces of furniture, and after this she was taken to the Criminal Court in Skopje, where later in the evening, a judge determined against her a detention measure in period of 30 days. Police officers are also searching her home in Gevgelija. In meantime, the lawyer Stevan Pavleski, who joined Janeva in PPOC on Tuesday, claims that she is a victim in the “Racketeering” case. “Janeva told the prosecutors at PPOC all she knows about the “Racketeering” case. She is just a victim in this entire case and I believe we can prove that,” Pavleski said, adding that the court should not determine detention for Janeva after she received news this morning that her mother has passed away in Gevgelija. PPOC Head Vilma Ruskovska said after the detention decision that PPOC acquired enough evidence to make her a suspect in the “Racketeering” case. “Nothing has changed from yesterday for today. I wanted to hear what Janeva has to say about his case, since the case is too much exposed to the public. The investigation over this case proceeds in accordance with all rules and regulations, and if we have strong evidence against other entities, I shall request their arrest and detention too. Janeva will be allowed to attend the funeral of her mother on Thursday. That is all I have to reveal for now, I don’t want for this investigation to turn into a reality show,” Ruskovska told reporters in front of the Criminal Court.
