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The Defence said that the Court should pronounce the sentence specified under the agreement due to the mitigating circumstances.
“We consider the fact that the indictee admitted guilt prior to the beginning of the main trial as a mitigating circumstance. Others include his poor financial situation, the fact that he and his wife are unemployed and his daughter, who is a minor, is seriously ill,” Emir Karaca, Defence attorney for indictee Sego, said.
Sego, a former member of the Military Police with the 307th Brigade of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ARBiH, admitted that he participated and assisted in the commission of murders, torture and forcing Croat detainees, who were held at several locations in Bugojno, to perform hard labour in July 1993.
Indictee Sego pointed out that he fully accepted the guilt admission agreement concluded with the Prosecution.
“The allegations contained in the indictment are correct. Honourable Court, I plead guilty. I would like to apologise to the victims and express my deep and sincere regrets for what happened,” Sego said.
Due to the fact that the guilt admission agreement between indictee Sego and the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina was concluded prior to the beginning of the main trial, Prosecutor Terzic read the revised indictment and presented material evidence, confirming the allegations contained in it, at the hearing held today.
“Honourable Court, the indictment proposes 43 pieces of material evidence, including witness statements, evidence about the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, evidence about the indictee’s membership in ABiH and evidence pertaining to the injured parties,” Prosecutor Terzic explained.
On April 4, 2011, Sego pleaded not guilty to all allegations contained in the indictment. On May 23 this year he concluded the agreement, admitting guilt for war crimes against civilians, as defined under the Prosecution’s revised indictment.
In March 2011 the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina rendered a first instance verdict sentencing Alija Osmic, another former military policeman with the 307th Brigade, to 11 years in prison for crimes committed in Bugojno.
