Koricanske stijene: Witness Undergoing Medical Treatment in Switzerland

Protected witness KO6 informed the Protected Witness Section with the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina that he was “undergoing medical treatment” in Switzerland and he “did not know that he was supposed to testify”.  
 
“The witness’ health condition is not very good. He is supposed to undergo surgery. He said he would probably not be able to testify at this trial,” Trial Chamber Chairwoman Vesna Jesenkovic said.  
 
Witness KO6 was due to testify at the trial of Sasa Zecevic, Radoslav Knezevic, Petar Civcic, Branko Topola and Marinko Ljepoja, who are charged with participation in the murder of about 200 men at Koricanske stijene on August 21, 1992.
 
The indictment alleges that Zecevic, Knezevic, Civcic and Ljepoja were members of the Interventions Squad with the Public Safety Station in Prijedor and Topola was a guard at the Trnopolje detention camp at the time.
 
The Prosecution claims that witness KO6 knew about the hearing and his assertions were untrue, adding that he “previously refused to appear at other trials”.  
 
“We contacted the witness prior to August 24, when we submitted our witness examination plan for September. We shall now request that the Court conduct an expert assessment of his health state in accordance with the law,” Prosecutor Slavica Terzic said.  
 
Zoran Babic, Milorad Radakovic, Milorad Skrbic and Zeljko Stojnic, former members of the Interventions Squad, and Dusan Jankovic, who is considered to have been Commander of the Public Safety Station in Prijedor at the time, are also on trial before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for crimes committed at Koricanske stijene.  
 
Former policemen Damir Ivankovic, Gordan Djuric and Ljubisa Cetic previously admitted guilt for participation in this crime. They were sentenced to 14, 8 and 13 years in prison, respectively.    
 
The next hearing is due to take place on Thursday, September 30, 2010.

D.S.