Dronjak and Rodic: Complex and Stressful Trial

In its introductory arguments the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina said it would prove that Ratko Dronjak and Dragan Rodic participated in crimes against civilians and prisoners of war committed in the Drvar area from 1992 to 1995.

“Very few people who were detained in the school building survived. Those men were then transferred to the detention camp in Kamenica a short time later. Only a few of them survived. Dead people cannot testify. The Prosecution therefore cannot examine many survivors as its witnesses,” State Prosecutor Dzemila Begovic said in her introductory arguments.  

Dronjak and Rodic are charged with torture, murder, beating, mistreatment, humiliation and other inhumane acts committed against civilians and prisoners of war in the “Slavko Rodic” school building and “Kamenica” detention camp in Drvar. 

The Prosecution alleges that at the time Dronjak was Commander or Manager of detention centers and camps in the Drvar area, while Rodic was a guard who also performed the function of a guard shift leader for a certain period of time.

“Ratko Dronjak and Dragan Rodic did not devise all those actions just because they wanted to do it, but those actions were part of a systematic plan. We are aware of the fact that this trial will be very complex and stressful for us, but I hope we will prove the allegations contained in the indictment,” Begovic said. 

In their introductory arguments the Defence teams said the indictment was “imprecise and general”, because it did not define specific actions charged against their clients.

“The indictment is full of platitudes referring to undetermined dates or unidentified individuals, while it does not specifically mention Dronjak’s responsibility,” Zlatko Knezevic, Dronjak’s Defence attorney, said.

The Defence attorneys rejected the allegations pertaining to Dronjak’s and Rodic’s participation in a joint criminal enterprise.

“First of all, Dragan Rodic was not aware that he was a member of some joint criminal enterprise, because a person has got to have an intention to be a member of such an enterprise. It is unimaginable for an ordinary policeman to do something in collaboration with the corps or military police commanders and other people of their ranks,” Milan Romanic, Rodic’s Defence attorney, said.

Romanic said he would try to prove that Rodic played “a minor role and did not kill or brutally abuse anyone”, as stated in the indictment.

Although it was announced earlier that Rodic might sign a guilt admission agreement with the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Defence said the negotiations were still ongoing and the parties were still “far from reaching an agreement”.

The Prosecution is due to examine its first witnesses on September 30, 2010.

M.T.