Kovac: Two new Defence Witnesses
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The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina partially accepted the Defence’s proposal to examine new witnesses, who are expected to speak about the role and duties of the indictee, Ante Kovac, as Commander of the Military Police Squad with the Vitez Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, in Vitez in 1993.
Out of four proposed witnesses, including ICTY indictees Mario Cerkez, Pasko Ljubicic, Vladimir Santic and Tihomir Blaskic, the Defence has the right to invite and examine only two, as all of these witnesses would speak about “the same circumstances”.
The Trial Chamber rejected the Defence’s proposal to re-examine the protected witnesses, as they are victims who are “being traumatized again during the course of examinations”. However, it accepted the proposal for reexamination of indictee Kovac at the end of the evidence presentation process.
The State Prosecution charges Ante Kovac with taking part in the capture and detention of Bosniaks in various buildings in Vitez Municipality, including the Cultural Center, cinema and public accounting services, in the course of 1993 and 1994, as well as with the rape of two women.
The Defence did not indicate which of the four witnesses would be invited, but it asked for additional time to speak to all four proposed witnesses. The Trial Chamber rejected the request. The two selected witnesses are due to testify at the next hearing.
Mario Cerkez, former Commander of the HVO Vitez Brigade, was sentenced by the Hague Tribunal to six years’ imprisonment for crimes committed in Vitez. He was released in December 2004. Pasko Ljubicic was referred by the Hague Tribunal to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for further processing. He reached a guilt admission agreement with the State Court. He was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment for crimes committed in Vitez. He is currently serving his sentence in a prison in Mostar.
In 2001 Vladimir Santic was sentenced by the Hague Tribunal to 18 years’ imprisonment for crimes committed in the Lasva valley. Kovac’s Defence attorney, Dusko Tomic, claims that Santic lives in Siroki brijeg.
Tihomir Blaskic was sentenced by the Hague Tribunal to nine years’ imprisonment for crimes committed in the Lasva valley. After serving 90 percent of his sentence, he was released. He now lives and works in Zagreb.
The trial is due to continue on May 29.
