Basic Defense Presents Closing Statement

The indictment has charged Basic, a former member of the Bosnian Army, with abducting two civilians from a house in the village of Vardiste in the municipality of Zenica without authorization in April 1993. Their charred bodies were found a few days later.

“Most of the testimony given by the witnesses for the prosecution was hearsay,” defense attorney Ramo Ajkic said at today’s hearing.

He said their testimony was unreliable, unconvincing, and couldn’t be trusted.

“In their testimony they said different things about the timing of the crime, about whether the defendant was alone or not, whether the civilians who were abducted were tied up or not and so on,” Ajkic said.

He said the allegations in the indictment which claimed that the defendant wore a camouflage uniform and carried a rifle were arbitrary, because they hadn’t been proven. Basic claimed he wore a light blue uniform and was assigned a pistol.

“Due to the lack of evidence the prosecution tried to provoke an emotional reaction amongst the members of the trial chamber, so we are warning you that they may have succeeded in doing so,” Ajkic said.

In his closing address to the trial chamber, Basic said he performed his police tasks honorably, and that no criminal proceeding had ever been conducted against him.

“I’m saying, most honestly, that I didn’t take Luka Sestan and Mirko Letic away. This was also confirmed by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which refused to confirm the indictment in 2011,” Basic said.

He said this trial would remain “a black spot” on his life, but he hoped the court would hand down a fair verdict, which would bring him “at least partial satisfaction.”

The verdict has been scheduled for October 6.