Verdict for Koricanske Stijene Crime Confirmed

Under the court’s verdict passed on June 28, 2012, Radoslav Knezevic and Marinko Ljepoja were found guilty of the crime against humanity and sentenced to 23 years of prison each.

The Appeals Chamber partially accepted the appeal from the defence and sentenced Knezevic to a sole sentence of 23 years, merging his 23-year sentence for the crime at Koricanske Stijene and 10-year sentence passed earlier before the Banja Luka District Court.

Sasa Zecevic was charged in this case too, but the process against him was separated from the other four after he struck a plea bargain with the prosecution.

The Appeals Chamber rejected this plea bargain concluding that the punishment of 10 to 13 years of prison was too low.

The prosecution after that retracted the plea bargain in which Knezevic confessed to the crime too.
Under the decision of the Appeals Chamber, convicted Marinko Ljepoja was to be remanded in custody until he would be sent to serve his sentence.

After the final verdict to Knezevic, Ljepoja, Civcic and Topola, the Appeals Chamber is expected to issue a final ruling for Zecevic too.