Kornjaca et al: Cases May be Separated
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Trial Chamber Chairman Darko Samardzic said the Court was still not able to set the start date for the presentation of evidence as indictee Kornjaca “still refuses to undergo medical examinations at a hospital in Sarajevo”, adding the Court would therefore consider the possibility of separating the cases.
“The Chamber would like to proceed with a single case. In that way, we would reduce the amount of pressure put on witnesses and it is more rational, not only in terms of trial costs. However, if the indictee continues to reject the possibility of undergoing medical examinations at the Clinical Center in Sarajevo, we shall have to consider the case separation option,” Samardzic explained.
The Trial Chamber announced it would render its decision on a possible case separation at the next hearing scheduled for October 25.
Kornjaca, former Commander of the “Blue Eagles” Paramilitary Unit, Milorad Zivkovic, former Chief of the Public Safety Station in Cajnice, and Dusko Tadic, former member of the “Blue Eagles” Unit, are charged with participation in detention, torture, murder and forcible resettlement of Bosniaks from that area.
At the hearing held on September 13, physicians Marija Kaucic-Komsic and Radojka Golijan presented their findings and opinion on the health state of indictee Kornjaca. They determined that Kornjaca “is temporarily unable to follow the trial until additional diagnostic examinations have been conducted”.
The first indictee has refused to undergo medical examinations in the Bosnian capital because he “does not feel safe in Sarajevo”. He has requested the Court allow him to be examined in Republika Srpska.
“My health state is deteriorating every day. Physicians working at the Detention Unit can confirm this. However, my stance has not changed,” Kornjaca said at this hearing.
The three indictees have been held in custody since December last year.
