Bosnia Convicts Ex-Soldier of Inciting Witness’s Murder

The state court in Sarajevo on Friday sentenced Milenko Krsmanovic to three years in prison for interfering with the work of the judiciary for inciting the murder of lawyer Muhidin Kapo to prevent him testifying in his trial.

The former Bosnian Serb soldier was originally charged with war crimes for allegedly assaulting Kapo during the conflict in July 1992.

Krsmanovic decided to kill the lawyer to prevent him appearing as a witness, and got in touch with a man called Dalibor Vaskovic after the war crimes indictment was confirmed, the court found.

Krsmanovic and Vaskovic met twice in 2015 in order to make arrangements for Kapo’s murder, according to the court.

The verdict said that Vaskovic falsely promised that he would help Krsmanovic, who promised to give him a vehicle or 50,000 Bosnian marks (25,560 euros) to kidnap the lawyer or stage a car accident.

However Kapo was not killed and testified in the case against Krsmanovic.

Krsmanovic was acquitted of a second count of inciting Kapo’s murder on another occasion.

The verdict can be appealed.

In his war crimes trial, Krsmanovic was eventually acquitted of beating and robbing Kapo, along with other Bosnian Serb soldiers, in the Sokolac area in July 1992.

This verdict can also be appealed.