Karajic: Prosecution evidence presenting completed
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More than eight months since the start of the trial, the State Prosecution completed its evidence presentation against Suljo Karajic, by examining a medical expert witness and a psychiatrist, and by presenting more than 100 pieces of material evidence.
In the course of evidence presenting, the Prosecution claimed that Karajic was guilty of having participated in the crimes against civilians and prisoners of war in the Bihac area.
The indictment alleges that Karajic, as commander of the Second Military Police Squad of the 505th Knights Motorised Brigade with the Fifth Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, participated, among other things, in the murder, physical and mental abuse, inhumane treatment and unlawful detention of civilians from August 1994 to February 1995.
Hamza Zujo, a medical expert witness, said that Karajic was wounded in his left arm in June 1994, adding that his arm was immobilised after that.
“After having reviewed the available medical reports, I determined that, on June 21, 1994, after having been wounded, Karajic had to undergo a surgery. I suppose that his arm was immobilised on that occasion. I cannot confirm when the cast and sling was removed, but, on the basis of previous documentation, I can conclude that he still had it on his arm in March 1995,” Zujo said.
In the course of their testimonies some Prosecution witnesses described Karajic as a man, whose arm was immobilised with a sling.
Miroslav Rakovcanin, a court medicine expert, participated in the exhumation and autopsy of Sefik Abdic and Muhamed Dzebic in 2000, when he determined that “they died in a violent way, after having been shot numerous times and punctured on their head”.
As indicated by Rakovcanin, the bodies of Abdic and Dzebic were found in Todorovska slapnica village area, where, according to the indictment, Karajic detained civilians and participated in their murder.
As requested by the Prosecution, expert psychiatrist Abdulah Kucukalic presented his findings and opinion. He said that protected witness B suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and permanently changed personality syndrome, adding that he therefore assumed that he “was not a reliable person, who could give a precise and realistic testimony”.
Protected witness B testified before the State Court in June 2008, when he said that he had been beaten by Karajic in Todorovska slapnica.
The trial of Karajic commenced in March 2008. Up to now, the Prosecution has presented 182 pieces of material evidence.
The trial is due to continue on November 27, when a status conference will be held, at which the Defence will present its evidence presentation proposal.
