Prosecutors seek to keep Dejan Jovanov detained ahead of 3 October release
Prosecutors say Jovanov is suspected of paying a Ministry of Economy official to obtain a licence for the illegal Pulse club without an application.
The Basic Public Prosecutor's Office for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption has opened a bribery probe into Pulse nightclub owner Dejan Jovanov and asked the Basic Criminal Court in Skopje to extend his pretrial detention, two days before his current measure expires on 3 October. If the court grants the request, Jovanov will not be released to defend himself from freedom.
New bribery allegation tied to licence for the Kočani venue
Prosecutors say Jovanov — the primary accused in the catastrophic Kočani nightclub fire that killed 63 young people — is suspected of giving money on two occasions to Ministry of Economy official Dževair Kamberi so that a licence would be issued for the illegal disco/cabaret Pulse, even though no licence application had been submitted.
Dževair Kamberi is separately charged with accepting a bribe in the large criminal case being led by the Basic Public Prosecution in Kočani.
"The suspect gave a bribe to an official in the Ministry of Economy to carry out an official act he was not allowed to perform, namely to secure a licence to conduct hospitality activity, without submitting any licence application and in circumstances where he knew that his premises did not meet legal conditions. Because of the danger of flight by the suspect for this criminal offence, for which a prison sentence of one to ten years is prescribed, and the fact that another criminal proceeding for Serious Offences Against Public Safety is also being conducted against him, the public prosecutor submitted a proposal to the Basic Criminal Court - Skopje to determine the measure of detention," the Prosecution said this evening.
Prosecutors argue the combination of the alleged bribery and the ongoing case linked to the fatal fire creates a risk that Jovanov would evade justice if released. The alleged bribery offence carries a potential prison term of one to ten years.
The court will decide on the prosecutors' request. If approved, Jovanov will remain in custody past 3 October; if denied, he would be released and face the pending charges from outside detention. Jovanov is the owner of the illegal Pulse disco in Kocani, the site of the blaze that killed 63 young people.
Photo: SDK.MK)
