Savic and Mucibabic plead not guilty

Krsto Savic and Milko Mucibabic denied guilt to all counts in the indictment filed by the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina for crimes committed in Nevesinje, Kalinovik, Gacko and Bileca.

The two men are charged with detention, torture and murder of several Bosniak and Croatian civilians from June to the end of 1992. The Prosecution considers that Savic was commander of the Public Safety Centre in Trebinje and Mucibabic was a policeman in that period.

“I plead not guilty to all counts in the indictment,” both Savic and Mucibabic said.

As indicated by preliminary hearing judge, Darko Samardzic, the start date of the trial will be determined within the next two months.

Slavisa Prodanovic, Defence attorney of the first indictee, said he might need additional time to prepare the Defence in an adequate manner and added that “the trial is not fair from the very beginning.”

“By law, we have the right to review all pieces of Prosecution’s evidence after an indictment has been filed. Up to now, we have not been given access to the files. Officially, the Prosecution took six months to prepare for the process. Unofficially, the preparation may have lasted for a year or two. We are given only two months to read the statements of 80 witnesses and review 200 pieces of material evidence,” Prodanovic said.

The judge said the 60-day deadline might be extended up to 90 days, adding that he thought the Defence would have sufficient time to prepare itself.