Koricanske stijene retrial to begin on February 24

The third indictee Dusan Jankovic, who has been on the run since the passing of the first instance verdict in December 2010, failed to appear at the status conference. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Ranko Dakic, lawyer of Dusan Jankovic, said he did not know why the indictee failed to appear, but that he learnt from a contact with his family that he would appear at the start of the retrial.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina said there is no evidence supporting claim that Jankovic would show up and requested that the process against him be separated. The Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina would make a decision on this proposal at a later date.

At the status conference, the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and defence teams of Babic, Skrbic and Stojinic briefly gave additional explanations for their proposals regarding the repeated presentation of evidence from the first instance trial.

Slavica Terzic, prosecutor for the State Prosecution, did not insist on the public examination of all the witnesses. “We leave it to the Chamber to decide if it wants to examine anyone directly, in order to additionally enter new exhibits into evidence,” added Terzic.

Defence lawyers of Zoran Babic and Zeljko Stojnic asked that complete audio recordings of testimonies by witnesses for the Defence be heard.

On December 21, 2010, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina passed the first instance verdict by which Zoran Babic and Milorad Skrbic, former members of the Interventions Squad with the Public Safety Station in Prijedor, were sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment, and Zeljko Stojnic, former member of the same Squad, to 15 years in prison, for the murder of more than 150 male civilians at Koricanske stijene on August 21, 1992.

By the same verdict, Dusan Jankovic, former Commander of the Public Safety Station in Prijedor, was found guilty of having ordered the murders on Mount Vlasic and sentenced to 27 years in prison. Jankovic failed to appear at the pronouncement of the first instance verdict. A warrant has been issued against Jankovic.

The Trial Chamber of the Court of Bosnia acquitted Milorad Radakovic of involvement in the planning, separation and murder of civilians at Koricanske stijene.

After the appeals were presented, the Appellate Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on October 26, 2011, revoked the first instance verdict and ordered a renewed trial.

The retrial is set to begin on February 24, 2012, with the presentation of opening remarks.