Trial for Bileca Crimes Begins Mid June

After the State Court had joindered the case against Nedjeljko Kuljic and Zeljko Ilic and the case against Goran Vujovic and Miroslav Duka, it was agreed, at the status conference, that their joint trial for crimes in the Bileca area in 1992 would begin on June 17.

The State Prosecution alleges that Vujovic was Chief of the Public Safety Station, SJB, in Bileca, Duka was Commander of Police with the SJB in Bileca, while Kuljic and Ilic were policemen.
 
They are charged with having participated, in the period from June to December 1992, in a joint criminal enterprise aimed at persecuting the non-Serb population from Bileca.

The Prosecution of BiH charges Vujovic and Duka with having enabled and organised the detention of Bosniak and Croat civilians in the SJB building and Students’ Dormitory in Bileca, where they were held in inhumane conditions and subjected to murders, torture and abuse.
 
Kuljic and Ilic are charged with having persecuted the non-Serb population and participated in physical and mental abuse, torture and murder of Bosniaks and Croats.

Prosecutor Behaija Krnjic said, at the status conference, that the Prosecution intended to examine 41 witnesses, but there was a possibility that it might give up some of them. Eight witnesses requested protection measures.

The Defence of the indictees said that they would present their detailed evidence presentation plans once the Prosecution of BiH had presented its evidence.
 
The Defence of indictee Vujovic plans to examine about ten witnesses, the Defence of indictee Duka about 15, while the Defence of indictee Ilic will examine between ten and 20 wtnesses.

The Defence of indictee Kuljic was not able to present its proposal at this stage.

The status conference participants agreed that the first State Prosecution witness would be examined right after the reading of the indictment and presentation of introductory statement.