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Ante Kovac, former Commander of the Military Police Squad with the Vitez Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, who is charged with crimes committed in Vitez, failed to appear in court “due to poor health”. The hearing has therefore been postponed until March 31.
Court experts Radojka Golijanin and Marija Kaucic, who previously examined the indictee and reviewed his medical records, were in court.
“I have been informed that the two experts confirmed that the indictee is not able to attend. We shall continue the trial on March 31. By then, the court experts are expected to submit their written findings and opinion. It makes no sense to deal with the issue today, given the fact that it is still uncertain whether the indictee will appear at the next hearing or not,” Trial Chamber Chairman Saban Maksumic said.
At the last hearing, held on March 25, Kovac appeared in court but insisted that he did not feel well and was not able to follow the trial. The main trial was postponed due to this.
Kovac is charged with participating in the unlawful capture and detention of Bosniak civilians in the premises of Radnicki University, Public Accounting Service and cinema in Vitez during 1993. The indictment alleges that more than 250 detainees were held in these premises in inhumane conditions. In addition, the Prosecution charges Kovac with having raped two women.
