Bosnia Convicts Ex-Fighter Over Serbs’ Deaths in Brcko
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“Considering all pieces of evidence presented at the trial, the Chamber has determined, beyond reasonable doubt, that Djakic, in his capacity as commander of the First Battalion of the 108th Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, managed and commanded a military operation in the village of Bukvik on September 15, 1992,” said presiding judge Dzemila Begovic.
Begovic said the court found that the three Bosnian Serbs were injured and were being treated in a house in Bukvik when they were killed.
“The chamber found all three were incapacitated from fighting and were killed in plain sight in front of Djakic, who did nothing,” said the judge.
Begovic added that Djakic had a legal obligation to punish the perpetrator.
Under the same verdict, Croatian Defence Council ex-fighter Begzad Kajtazi was acquitted of killing two Serb women during the military operation in the village of Bukvik.
“The chamber has determined that, with regard to the accusations, the evidence presented does not have the necessary strength of plausibility that would make it possible to establish defendant Kajtazi’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” Begovic said.
The judge said that witness testimony about Begzadi’s alleged participation in the killings was “conflicting and unclear”.
The verdict can be appealed.
