Quashing of Verdict against Stricevic Requested
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Defence attorney Jovo Filipovic proposed that the trial be held again before another chamber of the Cantonal Court in Bihac or a verdict of release be pronounced instead of the current one.
Besides that, the Defence proposed that the Supreme Court pronounce a shorter sentence in case it determined that he committed the crimes.
The Prosecution requested that the Defence’s appeal be rejected as unfounded and that the Bihac Cantonal Court’s verdict be confirmed.
In June 2013 the Cantonal Court in Bihac sentenced Stricevic to ten years in prison for having participated in the murder of two detainees in June 1992.
Under the first instance verdict, it was determined that Stricevic, former member of reserve police forces of Republika Srpska police, participated in the murder of Emsud Smajilovic and Mustafa Cikota, who, as determined under the verdict, were members of the Territorial Defence and captured without offering resistance.
“The injured parties did not have the status of prisoners of war. No war conflicts were underway in the Bihac district in that period,” Defence attorney Filipovic said.
As he said, the first instance verdict was incomprehensible.
“The Court acted on an abstract indictment filed by the Cantonal Prosecutor, thus making it impossible for my client to defend himself. All pieces of evidence are unlawful. It was suggested to the witnesses what to say,” Filipovic said.
Federal Prosecutor Nermina Mutavelic said that the Defence attorney’s allegations that the indictees did not have the status of prisoners of war and that no armed conflict was going on in the area of Bihac, Cazin, Bosanski Petrovac, Kljuc and Sanski Most were unfounded.
“We consider that the factual status was fully and correctly determined,” Mutavelic said.
Stricevic, who attended the beginning of the session held before the Supreme Court, asked the Court to let him leave the session due to health problems, pointing out that he had heart and mental problems.
The Supreme Court will render its decision at a later stage.
