Zelenika et al: Edin Buljubasic Seeks Plea Bargain
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During the hearing on Tuesday, the defendant, Edib Buljubasic, inquired whether it was a problem if he wanted to enter into a plea bargain. He said that he had sent a letter to the prosecutor, Remzija Smailagic, but that she acted “indolently”.
“Her behaviour is incomprehensible to me. I did not say I would sign the plea bargain, but we could try and come to an arrangement,” said Buljubasic complaining about the work of the prosecutor.
The Trial Chamber said it was not aware of the letter Buljubasic mentioned, but that everyone was entitled to plea bargain.
“I am glad to hear it because I have been offering plea bargain since day one,” answered the prosecutor Smailagic.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Buljubasic, along with Ivan Zelenika, Ivan Medic, Srecko Herceg and Marina Grubisic-Fejzic, with crimes against Bosnian Serb civilians, who were detained in the Dretelj camp in 1992.
According the indictment Zelenika was an officer of the Croatian Defence Forces, Herceg was the commander of the Dretelj camp, Buljubasic was his deputy, while Medic and Grubisic-Fejzic were guards. The indictment specifies that they all took part in torture and forcing prisoners to hard labour, while several people died from the consequences of the abuse.
Buljubasic is serving time in the Zenica prison for 4 murders committed before and after the Bosnian war, including the murder of his own father.
Zelenika, Herceg, Medic and Grubisic-Fejzic have been in custody since February.
At Tuesday’s hearing, the defence teams examined the protected witness A, who testified at the hearing on November 13 that during her time in Dretelj in 1992 she was raped by several persons, among them Ivan Medic.
The witness A said that she occasionally saw a woman named Marina in the camp, adding that she never saw her beat anyone.
The witness also said that Srecko Herceg never abused or beat her, nor did she see him abuse anyone else.
The trial is scheduled to continue on November 27.
