Koricanske Stjene: Another Admission of Guilt

Gordan Djuric, the third defendant in the trial for the crime committed at Koricanske stjene, has reached a plea bargain with the Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor. The prison sentence that has been agreed ranges from five to eight years. A final ruling on the plea bargain will be made by the Trial Chamber.

Under the agreement, Djuric pleaded guilty to the crime against humanity committed at Koricanske stjene on August 21, 1992.

This is the second plea bargain at this trial. Damir Ivankovic, who has testified on June 30 against the remaining seven defendants, has already entered into a plea bargain agreement. Information about this second admission of guilt arrived while Ivankovic was still testifying in court in great detail about what happened on that day and the role of his co-defendants.

Under the terms of the bargain signed by Ivankovic, his sentence will range between eight and 15 years. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina will consider the bargain after the defendant finishes his testimony.

In addition to Ivankovic and Djuric, those charged with the crime at Koricanske stjene are Zoran Babic, Milorad Radakovic, Milorad Skrbic, Ljubisa Cetic, Dusan Jankovic and Zeljko Stojnic, former members of the Prijedor police station and special response team of the then police. The Prosecution contends that on August 21, 1992, the defendants participated in the execution of 200 civilians from Prijedor in the territory of Koricanske stjene.

“The proposed sentence for Djuric was established in accordance with the role of the defendant in the execution of the crime at Koricanske stjene. It was established that the defendant did not take part in the actual execution of victims, but that at the time when the crime was committed he was guarding the location,” said a statement from the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to a statement by the protected witness given at the main hearing on May 19 this year, “Djuric was standing behind a rock at the time when the shooting was heard.”  Witness KS1 said that “he was terrified.”

The State Prosecution claims that before agreeing to the plea bargain, “it informed the plaintiffs from the territory of Prijedor”, who indicated that they were prepared to support the bargain so that the truth about the crime at Koricanske stjene could be revealed and the perpetrators punished.

Under the terms of the agreement, Gordan Djuric, known as Buzda or Buzdovan, undertook to give a statement in which he will repent before the victims for his participation in the crime.

The defendant, says the statement from the Prosecution, also undertook to reveal his knowledge about the crime to the authorised officials of the Prosecution and other law enforcement agencies and possibly offer material evidence or information where such evidence can be found.