Grujic: Zvornik Crimes Trial Begins
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Grujic, former member of the Army of Republika Srpska, is charged by the Prosecutions Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina with arresting ten civilians together with several unknown persons on May 10, 1992.
Reading the indictment, prosecutor Adnan Gulamovic said that Grujic and several other persons shot at civilians. Grujic is also charged, the prosecutor said, with murders, which makes him a co-perpetrator of war crimes against the civilian population.
In his opening argument, prosecutor Gulamovic said that witnesses for the State Prosecutions Office would confirm that the murdered people were civilians, and that their murder happened at the time of the armed conflict in Zvornik municipality.
Based on all the evidence we plan to present during the main hearing, the Prosecutions Office believes it would prove that defendant Grujic committed the act he is charged with, said prosecutor Gulamovic.
In its opening argument, the Defence emphasised it would prove Grujics innocence, and that the investigation in this case was conducted before the Cantonal Prosecutions Office in Tuzla in the past, but that it was not concluded.
The investigation conducted in the past had to be completed. The investigation in Tuzla included several persons, while only Grujic was charged. Only Grujic has come before the prosecutor and pleaded not guilty, said Dragan Gotovac, the defendants lawyer.
At the start of the opening argument, the Defence said it wished to express its condolences to families of plaintiffs.
I apologise to the families for not being able to help them, said defendant Grujic.
Grujic is at liberty while the trial is conducted.
The trial is set to resume on April 25, when the first witness for the Prosecutions Office would be examined.
S.U.
