New Judge Acquainted With Evidence

There was a change of the member of the Trial Chamber at this trial late last month. The judge, Halil Lagumdzija, replaced his colleague Ljubomir Kitic because of his illness.

“What I can say is that I acquainted myself with evidence presented so far,” said the new judge Lagumdzija.

In order to inform the new judge about issues he considered important, Vintila’s lawyer, Vlado Adamovic, said that during the trial he was constantly “pointing out something odd in the indictment”. He enlisted people which the prosecutor named in the indictment as members of the criminal enterprise.

“To this day I am not clear why they are not all in the courtroom,” said the lawyer, adding that the prosecutor “had no right to enforce selected justice.”

Adamovic said that he was perplexed how this indictment could have been confirmed at all. The trial, in his words, was also marred by the dilemma whether the Viktor Bubanj army barracks was a camp or not.

Vintila and Avdovic were charged with crimes committed in the Viktor Bubanj barracks and on the fifth floor of the District Prison in Sarajevo.

The prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina believed that Serb civilians who were held prisoners in these facilities were exposed to suffering and torture and taken to do hard labour.

According to the indictment, Avdovic was commander of the guard on the fifth floor of the District Prison in Sarajevo and former barracks Viktor Bubanj, while Vintila was a cook and guard in the former barracks.

Adamovic added that it was in the best interest of the defendants that those who committed crimes answer for them.

The trial will resume on October 21, when the defendant Vintila will testify.