Serbia Arrests Criminal Police Chief Over Abuse of Office

Serbian authorities have arrested Marko Kricak, the head of the country’s criminal police directorate, on suspicion of abuse of office, Belgrade’s chief prosecutor said on Sunday (Nov 1), according to Al Jazeera and AFP.

Kricak, 42, was detained along with Bosko Sekulovic, a police commander in charge of fighting organised crime. Prosecutor Nenad Stefanovic said both men were suspected of abusing their offices and failing to uphold their duties, causing serious harm to the rights of Belgrade’s former police chief, Veselin Milic.

Case linked to restaurant killing probe

The allegations arose from an investigation into the murder of a suspected criminal underworld figure at a Belgrade restaurant in May. Milic was arrested days after that killing for allegedly failing to report the crime and helping the perpetrator.

While in custody, Milic began legal action against Kricak and Sekulovic, accusing them of giving prosecutors incomplete and false evidence.

Prosecutor rejects election link

Stefanovic told journalists the arrest had “no link” with the result of the legislative elections.

Kricak is seen as a loyalist of former president Aleksandar Vucic. Student groups had accused him of brutality in the police response to demonstrations that helped bring down Vucic’s ruling right-wing party. Last week, students demanded his removal, along with several other police and intelligence chiefs, as part of sweeping reforms. The prosecutor’s office did not link the arrest to those demands.

The Student List won snap elections on Oct 25 that Vucic called after nearly two years of protests, ending 14 years of rule by his Serbian Progressive Party. Vucic stepped down as president in September to lead his party’s list.

Criminal police chief arrest on Novi Sad anniversary

The arrests came as Serbia marked two years since a concrete canopy collapsed at the newly renovated Novi Sad railway station, killing 16 people. On Sunday, thousands gathered in Novi Sad and observed 16 minutes of silence, one for each victim, as students marched silently through the rain carrying wreaths.

No charges or court dates for the two officers were announced in the report.

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