Causevic Verdict Expected September 15

Elmedin Causevic, a former member of the Zulfikar Special Purposes Squad with the Headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Bosnian Army, has been charged with intentionally causing civilian Zoran Knezevic severe physical and mental pain in the village of Grabovac in the municipality of Konjic, along with other members of his squad.

Causevic allegedly pushed Knezevic against a truck on the road between the villages of Lesicici and Grabovac in May 1993, and beat him with a wooden rod on his back and other parts of his body.

The cantonal prosecution said it had proven the existence of an armed conflict between the Bosnian Army and the Croatian Defense Council in the territory of Konjic, as well as the presence of members of the Zulfikar Unit of the Bosnian Army in the area.

Cantonal prosecutor Maja Cisic said the injured party in the case, Zoran Knezevic, identified the defendant in the courtroom, by saying “I think this is him.” According to Cisic, this testimony makes his identification credible and proves that the witness was not prepared in advance. She said this indicated that the injured party showed “a certain level of caution” in not wanting to point to the wrong person.

Cisic said Ljilja Knezevic, Zoran Knezevic’s wife, described the defendant’s actions in an identical manner, and said she was an eyewitness to the physical abuse he endured.

Causevic’s defense attorney, Nail Gajevic, said considering the evidence, one could conclude the defendant had no criminal responsibility in the case.

“Through the presented evidence, the prosecution has not managed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, that the event described in the indictment happened,” Gajevic said.

According to Gajevic, the prosecution was presumptuous in assuming that the trial chamber would hand down a guilty verdict on the basis of hearsay.