Sapunar released from custody after expedited witness examination
Igor Sapunar, nephew of Željko Kerum, left Split detention after the prosecutor questioned all key witnesses in a single day, and the judge accepted the motion to lift the measure.
Igor Sapunar, nephew of Željko Kerum, left Split detention after the prosecutor questioned all key witnesses in a single day, and the judge accepted the motion to lift the measure.
Igor Sapunar, nephew of businessman and former Split mayor Željko Kerum, left the investigative prison at Bilice on Monday, August 3, 2026. The decision to lift the measure was made by the investigating judge of the County Court in Split, after all witnesses in the investigation known as the "Konoba Pršut" affair were questioned at an accelerated pace.
The news was confirmed by his lawyer Damir Primorac. "I can confirm that today, by a ruling of the investigating judge of the County Court in Split, the investigative detention of my client was lifted, which had been imposed on Friday due to the risk of influencing witnesses," Primorac stated.
Sapunar spent only a few days in custody, since the measure was imposed on Friday, July 31, 2026, due to suspicion that he could influence four witnesses. However, Deputy Director of USKOK Natalija Petković questioned all four already on Monday. Immediately after that, she proposed to the investigating judge to lift the investigative detention, which the court accepted.
Lawyer Primorac publicly praised the work of the prosecution. "I take this opportunity to thank colleague Petković for her exceptionally prompt and professional handling. In just one day, she examined all four witnesses, thereby eliminating the reasons for which the investigative detention was imposed, and the conditions for its lifting were met," he said.
Sapunar is the third suspect in the affair brought to light by investigative articles by Telegram journalist Denis Mahmutović. Last week, USKOK arrested him, Kerum, and former city official Andrija Polić. Kerum was taken into custody from Vela Luka, where he was at a concert with his family.
According to USKOK's suspicions, Polić, as a former senior associate for spatial planning and construction in the City of Kaštela, illegally favored Kerum and Sapunar from October 2017 to January 2023. At their request, he allegedly legalized five structures within the family farm and the "Pršut" tavern in the Kaštela area. These include three commercial buildings and two auxiliary structures, which are suspected to have been built without permits, covering an area of about two thousand square meters.
Sapunar, as stated, as the person authorized to represent companies owned by Kerum, submitted requests for the legalization of the disputed structures. Unlike Sapunar, for Kerum and Polić, investigative detention was not requested after their questioning.
After the investigation was opened, Kerum stepped down from the leadership of his Croatian Citizens' Party (HGS), which is in coalition with HDZ in the Split City Council. So far, he has not commented on the case. The motive for Polić favoring Kerum, reportedly without receiving a bribe, remains to be clarified in the continuation of the investigation.
