Jukic: Unauthorized Defence of Indictee
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Prosecutor Sanja Jukic said that Milovic was removed from the registers of the Attorneys Chambers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska in November 2012, adding that his involvement as Defence attorney in this case had been unauthorised and illegitimate as of that date.
By acting in such an incorrect and unethical way, attorney Milovic has illegally performed the function of Defence attorney in this case. He has therefore committed a crime. I am announcing that the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina will file a criminal report against Milovic, the Prosecutor said.
Responding to these accusations, Milovic said that it was a campaign of revenge against him and that he would investigate it.
My involvement in Jukics defence has not been unauthorised. This Court appointed me Defence attorney in this case. I have been waiting for the same Court to release me from my duty. This is a campaign of revenge against me and an attempt to remove me from this case. What I am going to do in the future is nobody elses business, but I will probably return to this case, Milovic said.
He said that, for the time being he was not able to say who was trying to revenge him, but people would find out for sure.
Indictee Jukic said that he was familiar with the fact that attorney Milovic would no longer represent him, adding that he had chosen Davor Silic, an attorney from Mostar, as his new ex-officio attorney.
Zeljko Jukic, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, is charged with having participated, in collaboration with other members of HVO and the Croatian Army, HV, in the persecution of Bosniak civilians, murders and forcible disappearances of the Bosniak population from Prozor municipality in the period from July to September 1993. His trial began in April 2012.
Trial Chamber Chairwoman Jasmina Kosovic said that the trial would be discontinued until the new Defence attorney had familiarised himself with the case and become ready to attend a hearing.
