The owner of the petrochemical group Dioki and the Rijeka-based newspaper Novi List, Robert Jezic, will remain in investigative prison for two more months for fear that he might interfere with witnesses whom investigators from the national anti-corruption office USKOK plan to interview in connection with unlawful dealings between the state-owned power company HEP and Dioki, the Zagreb County Court decided on Wednesday.
Investigating judge Zdenko Posavec granted USKOK's request to extend custody for Jezic until the remaining 30 witnesses were questioned.
Jezic, former HEP CEO Ivan Mravak, HEP Opskrba manager Ivan Mrljak and former prime minister Ivo Sanader are held responsible by USKOK for the sale of electricity to Dioki below market prices, whereby HEP was defrauded of 6.3 million kuna. Mravak is also suspected of granting a 15 million kuna loan to companies within Dioki Group without the approval of HEP's managing board.
Jezic was arrested on December 9 and was put in 30-day custody after presenting his defence to USKOK.
