Local Justice – Skampo: Verdict Due November 5

Presenting its closing statement, the Prosecution said that it considered that it had proved Skampo’s guilt for war crimes in Jablanica and that the Trial Chamber should therefore pronounce him guilty, while his Defence said that those were just assumptions and that he should be acquitted of charges.

“Testimonies by Mira Zaric, Andja Zaric and Ankica Matic are congruent with each others in relation to the events that took place in the house where the civilians were present. These witnesses recognised the indictee in the courtroom,” Prosecutor Vesna Pranjic said.

Jasmina Maric, Defence attorney of the indictee, considers that the witnesses’ statements differed so much that one had to wonder whether they were in the same room at all. As an example, she mentioned the testimony by Ankica Matic, who said that Ivan Zaric was injured in the hallway, while Andja Zaric said that Ivan was hit by the window in the living room.

“Considering all of the said things, it can be concluded that the accusations against my client are based on assumptions. Therefore I propose to the Court to acquit him of charges,” Maric said.

The Cantonal Prosecution in Mostar charges Skampo, former member of the 44th Brigade with the Fourth Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with having fired a hand grenade on Ivan Zaric’s house in Krkaca hamlet, Doljani village in Jablanica municipality. Zaric died due to injuries caused by the explosion three days later.

Witness Mirko Zelenika testified prior to presentation of closing statements, saying that he was in his father’s apartment in Jablanica on July 28, 1993 and that he saw “a scary scene” while standing by a window.

“At one moment I saw a group of women and children holding desperately. There were two trucks. I saw Skampo in front of a third truck on a plateau across the street. He was dressed in camouflage uniform,” Zelenika said, adding that he knew Skampo very well, because they used to live in the same building.

When asked by Trial Chamber Chairman Hamo Kebo if he was sure that indictee Skampo was standing next to the truck, the witness said yes.

Witness Enes Kovacevic, who was Commander of the 44th Mountain Brigade in 1993, said that he could not confirm that the indictee performed combat tasks, because there was an order telling them to become involved in logistics issues.

“The soldiers, who were captured by members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, were returned to Jablanica at the beginning of June 1993. As they were exhausted and mentally and physically unstable, an order was issued to engage them in logistics instead of sending them to direct combat,” Kovacevic said.

Witness Rasim Lulic said that he had known indictee Skampo since the day he was born, explaining that they were held in a detention camp in Gornji Vakuf together and that they were beaten and tortured in the camp. He said that Skampo had three broken ribs as a result of the beating.

“I was transferred from Gornji Vakuf to Jablanica. I was not engaged in military service for three months. I do not know exactly when Skampo came to Jablanica. It could have been a month and a half later. I do not know whether he was involved in the attack, but I know that all former detainees were exempt from military service,” Lulic said.