NEXT WEEK: Lelek trial to begin
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According to the Court of BiH, the trial of Zeljko Lelek – a Visegrad policeman charged with crimes against humanity committed in 1992 – will begin on Friday, March 2.
The Prosecution of BiH believes that Lelek killed, illegally detained, tortured, beat and took part in the forced relocation of the civilian population. Lelek is also the first person to be charged with the mass rapes and sexual abuse of women in Visegrad.
The Prosecution will read the indictment and present its opening arguments at the hearing scheduled for next week.
During the status conference, the State Prosecution announced that it would question 30 witnesses, including two protected witnesses and one court expert. The Defence has not yet disclosed its plans.
Until he was arrested in May of last year, Lelek worked as a policeman in Visegrad where, Justice Report discovered, he is still on the salary list, even though he is suspended for the duration of the court process against him.
On Monday February 26, the trial of Kresimir Lucic, a former commander of Croat Defence Council (HVO) Military Police from Kiseljak, will continue. Lucic’s trial began on February 14, when the indictment was read and both sides presented their opening arguments.
According to the indictment, from April to September of 1993 Lucic took part in attacks on civilians from municipalities Kiseljak, Busovaca and Vitez. It is also stated that he took part in the detention and torture of Bosniaks, and was involved in other inhumane acts such as taking civilians as forced labour and the detention of civilians in poor conditions. The Prosecution should question the first witnesses next week.
After the questioning of the first Prosecution witnesses was postponed in the case against Zeljko Mejakic, Dusan Fustar, Momcilo Gruban and Dusko Knezevic, the Trial Chamber scheduled a new date for beginning of presentation of evidence – Wednesday February 28.
All four are charged with crimes committed against civilians detained in Keraterm, Omarska and Trnopolje detention camps, which operated in Prijedor municipality under the control of the Republika Srpska authorities.
The trial of Momcilo Mandic, former justice minister in the then Srpska Republika BiH, will also be continued next week, on Tuesday February 27.
The Defence began its evidence procedure by questioning Mandic, who described the days of the beginning of the war in Sarajevo. The questioning of the indictee as a Defence witness will be continued at the next hearing.
Mandic is charged that during 1992, while he was justice minister of the former Srpska Republika BiH, he was responsible for the operation of all correctional facilities and detention camps formed on the territory of Foca and Sarajevo. He is also accused of being in charge of an attack on a Internal Affairs Ministry Staff Training Centre of Republic of BiH, which took place in Sarajevo at the beginning of April 1992.
