Kovac: Power of attorney cancelled

As the conclusion approaches in the trial of Ante Kovac, who is charged with crimes committed in Vitez, the Trial Chamber has announced that Dragan Barbaric, who has represented the indictee up to the present, has sent written confirmation to the Court informing it that he has had to cancel his client’s power of attorney due to “non-implied confidence”.

“I did not know that the authorization had been cancelled,” Kovac said. “However, I am not surprised. Our cooperation has not been interrupted. I am simply not sure. I was not happy with some facts.”

Barbaric did not attend the hearing, and the Trial Chamber said it would request “a written explanation as to why he failed to honour his obligation to appear at this hearing”.

The State Prosecution charges Kovac, former Commander of the Military Police Squad with the Vitez Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, with participation in the unlawful detention of Bosniak civilians in the premises of Radnicki University, and the cinema and public accounting services in Vitez, as well as of having raped two people. The indictment alleges that all these crimes were committed in the course of 1993.

The Trial Chamber decided to appoint an ex-officio attorney, who will be paid by the Court, to represent Kovac from now on. Originally Kovac selected Barbaric as his Defence attorney and personally paid for his services.

“The Court will try not to undertake any actions at this stage. Once a new Defence attorney has been selected, we will have to meet with him in order to determine how much time he will need to prepare adequately for the trial,” Trial Chamber Chairman Saban Maksumic said.

The next hearing is due to take place on February 26, 2009.