Vukovic et al: Custody Decision
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A custody extension hearing in the case of Ranko and Rajko Vukovic has been held before the Court of BiH.
The two brothers are charged with crimes against humanity committed in Foca in 1992. Preliminary hearing judge Saban Maksumic has told the two parties that a decision will be announced at a later stage.
The Court confirmed the indictment on 31 August this year. By existing legal regulations, the indictees should attend a plea hearing no later than 15 days following this date.
The indictment alleges that the Vukovic brothers took part in the murder of two persons in the village of Podkolun near Foca, while Ranko Vukovic is also charged with having raped protected witness A in Miljevina, Foca, in July 1992.
The Prosecution believes that custody should be extended as “there is a [danger of] possible influence on witnesses and eventual accessories”, and also due to the fact that the brothers are charged with a criminal offence that may result in long-term imprisonment.
“There is a fear that the two [indictees] might influence the witnesses but also the accessories of this act who are still at large, which might disable the continuation of this process,” Prosecutor Behaija Krnjic has explained.
The Defence has denied this, objecting to the Prosecution’s allegation of possible interference with witnesses on the grounds that the investigation has been completed and the indictment confirmed.
“The Prosecutor’s individual alleged fear cannot be a reason for custody extension,” the main indictee’s defence attorney Veljko Civsa has explained.
The second indictee’s defence attorney Zoran Kalaba has said that the custody extension would “violate the general principle of equality of the parties to the proceeding”.
