Cases May Be Joindered

14. April 2014.00:00
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, requests extension of prohibiting measures against Nedjeljko Kuljic and Zeljko Ilic, who are charged with crimes committed in Bileca. The Defence teams object to the request.

The Prosecution alleges that, even though the indictment against Kuljic and Ilic has been confirmed, the prohibiting measures, including a ban on leaving their places of residence, travelling and meeting certain persons, should be extended.
 
“I consider that the measures, which have been in force so far, are sufficient and that they should be extended,” Prosecutor Behaija Krnjic said, adding that Kuljic had dual citizenship, so it was necessary to ban him from travelling. Also, he said that there was a possibility that they might influence witnesses.
 
The Defence teams said that they objected to the extension of prohibiting measures. Veljko Civsa, Defence attorney of indictee Kuljic, said that his client was severely ill and that he was not capable of leaving his place of residence. The Prosecutor explained that, considering Kuljic’s health condition, he agreed that the indictee did not have to report to the Police Station, but he would be visited by police instead.
 
“I propose to the Court to either reject the Prosecution’s proposal of prohibiting measures or shorten the measures due to the indictee’s health condition,” Civsa said.
 
The Defence of indictee Ilic said that there was no evidence that the indictee had interfered with the course of the proceeding in the past.
 
The Court will render its decision concerning the prohibiting measures at a later stage.
 
Kuljic and Ilic were arrested in mid January due to a suspicion that they committed persecution of the non-Serb population and participated in physical and mental abuse, torture and murder of Bosniaks and Croats from the beginning of June to the end of December 1992 in their capacity as policemen with the Public Safety Station in Bileca.
 
After that the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina banned them from leaving their places of residence and meeting witnesses and accomplices. The indictment against them was confirmed on April 2.
 
At this hearing the Prosecutor said that the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina had proposed joindering of this case and the case against Goran Vujovic and Miroslav Duka, who were charged with crimes in Bileca.

Selma Učanbarlić