Dronjak: Prosecution Asks for 30 Years in Prison

Prosecutor Dzemila Begovic asked the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to sentence Dronjak to a minimum of 30 years in prison for crimes against humanity, believing that there are no extenuating circumstances for the defendant.

“He was killing civilians and allowed them to be killed. He tortured them and allowed them to be tortured. His actions lasted from the beginning of the war to its end,” said prosecutor Begovic.

As a warden of the camp in Drvar, Dronjak is charged with taking part in the ethnic cleansing of non-Serb civilians and the illegal imprisonment of Bosniak and Croat civilians from the territory of the Autonomous Region of Krajina.

The prosecutor pointed out that several dozen non-Serb prisoners were murdered in the school and camp and that some of the bodies have still not been found.

“Not only did he actively contribute to running the system, Dronjak also personally took part in the beating of prisoners and executions both inside the camp and outside the camp, throwing them into pits and thus concealing the crimes,” said the prosecutor.

She quoted testimonies from several witnesses, among them Dragan Rodic who has admitted his guilt, all of whom said that Dronjak shot dead the prisoner Fikret Begic in the Kamenica camp.

Rodic, a former deputy commander in the camp, who was indicted alongside Dronjak, was sentenced to eight years last year.

The prosecution holds Dronjak responsible, among other things, for the death of at least five civilians from Kulen Vakuf, who were locked up in the “Slavko Rodic” school. The prosecutor added that the victims have not been found yet.

“With Dronjak’s approval, the police came and beat them, and the guards joined in too,” said the prosecutor quoting Rodic’s testimony.

Dronjak’s defence will present its closing argument on May 17.