Macic: The Match has Started

The indictment charges Eso Macic, former member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with war crimes against civilians and prisoners of war committed in the Clebici detention camp in Brdjani in June 1992, when he and other unidentified guards beat up an elderly Serb civilian, who died due to injuries caused by the beating.

In addition, Macic is charged with having treated Serb civilians and prisoners of war who were detained in Musala sports hall in Konjic in an inhumane manner, causing them severe bodily injuries and physical and mental suffering in March or April 1993.

“The indictee committed the crimes as a member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite the fact that those crimes could not be justified by military service.

“In addition, Macic was aware of the crimes he committed. He knew he treated the civilians and prisoners of war in an inhumane manner. The Prosecution will prove this during the course of the trial,” Prosecutor Sanja Jukic said in her introductory arguments.

Defence attorney Kadrija Kolic said that indictee Macic was not guilty, adding he would prove his client’s innocence.

“During the course of the trial we shall prove that my client was not a guard in the Celebici detention camp and prisoners were not abused and tortured in the Musala detention camp in the way described by Prosecution witnesses. Honourable Court, the match has started, but the Prosecution will not prove its allegations this time,” the Defence attorney said.

The first Prosecution witnesses are due to testify on January 25, 2011.