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The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina has filed a motion requesting a three-month extension of custody of Veselin ‘Batko’ Vlahovic, who is suspected of crimes committed in Grbavica, Sarajevo.
Vlahovic failed to appear at the custody extension motion. According to an official note, he says he is not feeling well “due to the therapy he is taking for multiple personality disorder from which he suffers”.
State Prosecutor Behaija Krnjic said that no circumstances have changed since the last custody order, adding the Prosecution planned to examine new witnesses and collect material evidence in the upcoming period.
“The Prosecution will examine between 30 and 50 witnesses. It is also collecting evidence from Spain. The Prosecution considers it will be able to obtain the evidence and make a decision on the filing of an indictment in the next three months,” Krnjic said.
Radivoje Lazarevic, Defence attorney for the suspect, called on the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to order “a shorter custody period”, saying the reasons for the extension were “neither objective nor justified”.
The Court will render its decision about these proposals at a later stage.
Vlahovic has been held in custody since August 26, 2010, when he was extradited from Spain. He was arrested in Spain at the beginning of March.
The suspect was previously ordered into custody due to the possibility that he might seek to flee and influence witnesses and accomplices, as well as “a real threat that the public order might be disturbed” should he be released to liberty.
Vlahovic is suspected of having participated in the murder, abuse, rape, robbing and abduction of Bosniak and Croat civilians from their apartments in the Grbavica and Vraca districts in Sarajevo.
A.J.
