Jevic et al: Witness under Suspicion

Prosecutor Ibro Bulic said an investigation was conducted against the witness, who asked the Court at the hearing to protect his personal data and face. The Prosecutor said a guilt admission agreement was expected to be concluded with him soon.

The Prosecutor has also asked that the witness be granted protective measures. At the beginning of the hearing the Prosecutor proposed that the Court prohibit the publication of the witness’ testimony for the sake of his and his family’s safety.

The Defence objected to the proposal, claiming the witness did not mention he was in danger during the course of his previous examinations by the Prosecutor. The Trial Chamber will render its decision at a later stage, but it indicated it might approve certain protective measures.

The witness is due to testify at the trial of Dusko Jevic, Mendeljev Djuric, Goran Markovic and Nedjo Ikonic, who are charged with having participated in the murder and forcible resettlement of Bosniaks from Srebrenica in July 1995.

At the time Jevic was Commander of Jahorina Training Center, Djuric was Commander of the First Company, Markovic was a squad Commander with the Company and Ikonic was Commander of the Second Company.

As per a proposal made by the Defence teams, the Chamber ordered the Prosecution to provide the Defence attorneys with a report on the examination of the witness as a suspect as well as a transcript of his statement.

At this hearing the witness was accompanied by legal representative Slavko Asceric, who will have to be replaced due to a conflict of interest. Asceric represented indictee Dusko Jevic for a certain period of time.

“Although he only represented him at the beginning of the trial, he had access to all pieces of evidence. In view of all that, the hearing has to be postponed,” Trial Chamber Chairwoman Mira Smajlovic said.

The trial is due to continue on October 14, when the Prosecution will examine a new witness.