A panel of judges today decided to extend the suspect's detention, but it also upheld a part of his appeal, Gospic County Court president Pavo Rukavina said, adding that the suspect would be remanded in custody until witnesses were interrogated.
Mraovic's lawyer Velimir Dosen expressed satisfaction with the fact that part of his appeal was sustained. He explained that "the panel of judges did not hold that the alleged criminal offence was perpetrated under extremely aggravating circumstances, which would have given a particular emphasis to the offence".
"My client remains in custody due to his possible influence on witnesses. When witnesses have been questioned, my client will be released pending trial and will prove his innocence," the lawyer said.
Asked whether the 28-year-old US basketball player would be questioned, Dosen said that she had not been proposed on a list of witnesses to be questioned, and that the Rijeka County Office of the State Prosecutor proposed that only witnesses who had first-hand or indirect information on the case should be questioned for the time being. The prosecution also asked for Mraovic's extended detention.
The police arrested the 57-year-old businessman from Bilaj on 22 April and took him to the investigation centre of the Gospic County Court after the court launched an investigation on suspicion that he had raped the US basketball player.
Chief State Prosecutor Mladen Bajic has ordered that further proceedings should be carried out by prosecutors from the seaport of Rijeka in order to ensure an unobstructed and unbiased investigation.