Koricanske stijene: Crime as a result of hatred
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Prosecutor Slavica Terzic said that the Prosecution’s evidence would “undoubtedly prove” that the indictees committed the crime of which they are charged.
“When we look at the crimes, it is clear that those crimes were a result of hatred generated by the war. However, all the indictees had the right to choose to act like human beings. The Prosecution considers they could have given up on the crime plan,” Terzic said.
In their introductory arguments the Defence of the five indictees said they “planned to prove the indictees’ innocence”.
The State Prosecution charges Sasa Zecevic, Radoslav Knezevic, Petar Civcic, Branko Topola and Marinko Ljepoja with the murder of about 200 civilian men at Koricanske stijene on August 21, 1992. The indictment alleges that the men were separated from a convoy of non-Serb civilians who were being taken from Prijedor to Travnik.
The indictment further alleges that Civcic was Commander of the First Interventions Squad with the Public Safety Station in Prijedor, Zecevic, Knezevic and Ljepoja were members of the First Interventions Squad and Topola was a guard at Trnopolje detention camp, near Prijedor.
The Defence of Sasa Zecevic said that the first indictee was a young man, who “could not have participated in the plans and orders” in August 1992, adding that he therefore could not be a participant in the joint criminal enterprise.
The Defence attorneys of Zecevic, Knezevic, Topola and Ljepoja said that their clients were not present at Koricanske stijene on August 21, 1992.
“I am very sorry. I spent a lot of time in Trnopolje. I knew people from Kozarac, but I never escorted convoys. I never went to Koricanske stijene. I would like to ask the Court to let me undergo a polygraph testing, together with whoever comes to testify against me,” Topola said.
Trial Chamber Chairwoman Vesna Jesenkovic said that polygraph testing “cannot be used as evidence before the Court”.
At this hearing protected witness KO15 testified, but the public did not attend that part of the hearing due to protection of his identity.
As per the official schedule of the Court, the next hearing is due to take place on December 2, 2009.
