Bosnian Serb Soldiers’ Convictions for Killing 28 Civilians Upheld

Acquitted defendant Milorad Glamocak (in mask), convicted defendant Branko Cigoja (right) and others at court. Photo: BIRN.

The appeals chamber of the Bosnian state court has upheld the verdict sentencing ex-soldiers Branko Cigoja, Zeljko Todic and Sasa Boskic to 14 years in prison each for crimes against civilians in Oborci near Donji Vakuf in September 1995, BIRN has learned.

The acquittal of a fourth defendant, the men’s commander, Milorad Glamocak, was also upheld.

Cigoja, Todic and Boskic, all wartime members of the Reconnaissance Squad of the Bosnian Serb Army’s 11th Mrkonjic Brigade, were found guilty in June this year of participating in the killing of 28 Bosniak and Croat civilians in Oborci.

The court found that the civilian detainees were being held in an old railway station in Oborci before they were executed by Cigoja, Todic, Boskic and others.

Glamocak, the commander of the Reconnaissance Squad, was acquitted of failing to prevent the crime or punish the perpetrators.

The court determined that there was no evidence that Glamocak agreed with the order to kill the civilians, or that he was aware that his subordinates were preparing to commit the crime or that they had committed it.

The second-instance verdict is final and cannot be appealed.