Verdict against Bilbija Due July 8

The Cantonal Court in Bihac has scheduled the pronouncement of a verdict against Bilbija, former member of the Republika Srpska Army, who is charged with having participated in the murder of two Bosniak civilians in Bjeline village, Sanski Most municipality, on July 10, 1992, for Tuesday, July 8.   

Prosecutor Jasmin Mesic said, presenting his closing statement, that the Prosecution had proved that indictee Slavko Bilbija participated, along with another person, in the murder of two civilians. As he said, the two men then dumped their bodies into a pit in order to conceal the crime.

“By linking the witnesses’ testimonies and material evidence, we have managed to prove, beyond doubt, that Slavko Bilbija participated in the murder of Ismet and Beco Besirevic,” Mesic said.   

Defence attorney Jovan Pilipovic said that, besides the fact that “the indictment is abstract”, the Prosecution had not managed to prove that Bilbija was guilty of the crimes charged upon him.

The indictee personally addressed the Chamber, saying that he had never participated in examination, mistreatment or any other type of inhumane treatment of his Bosniak neighbours and friends.      

Faruk Besirevic, whose father and uncle were killed, called on the Court to be “fair and pronounce the maximal possible sentence against whomever is proved to have committed this disgusting crime”.