Selmo Cikotic, the former Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was sentenced by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to three years in prison for abuse of office, on Tuesday.

Cikotic was accused of using his official position and favouring the company “Scout” from Zagreb from 2009 to 2011, to obtain certain benefits.

The indictment states that, contrary to the Agreement on the ultimate rights and obligations over movable property from 2008 and the decisions of the BiH Presidency, Cikotic made and signed two decisions approving the delivery, i.e. exchange of goods, and four decisions on the delivery of ammunition. According to the indictment, he concluded four annexes to the basic contracts on the sale of unpromising weapons and ammunition signed in 2003 and 2004.

As this is only the first-instance verdict, Cikotic has the right to appeal.