Witness Died One Day after Receiving Calls
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The Prosecution requested a two-month extension of custody for Marijan Brnjic, Ilija and Pavo Glavas and Martin Barukcic due to a danger that they might flee and fear that they might influence witnesses and accomplices while at liberty. The custody extension for Barukcic was requested due to the existence of fear that he might influence witnesses.
Prosecutor Miroslav Janjic said that Brnjic and Ilija and Pavo Glavas had citizenship of Croatia and that they had real estate in that country.
“There is a real and concrete danger that the suspects would influence witnesses. We have been informed by police that a witness reported having received calls and threats. The witness died one day after having received those threats,” Janjic said.
The Defence of Marijan Brnjic said that, “irrespective of what that call was about”, it did not worry the witness very much and did not cause her death.
Brnjic, Ilija and Pavo Glavas, and Barukcic, former members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, are suspected of having raped several Serbs from June to August 1992.
Rifat Konjic, Defence attorney of suspect Brnjic, said that there was no legal basis for the reasons for the custody extension motion, requesting the Court to terminate custody for the suspects and order prohibiting measures instead.
Brnjic said that his health condition was bad and that it had deteriorated recently, requesting the Court to let him defend himself while at liberty.
Damir Katica, Defence attorney of Pavo Glavas, said that his client was in Switzerland when the crime was committed. He provided the Court with Glavas’ passport from that period.
“This case has absolutely nothing to do with me. This is a hundred-percent miss and a hundred-percent mistake,” said Pavo Glavas.
Ilija Glavas’ Defence attorney Senad Bilic and Barukcic’s Defence attorney Idriz Kamenica objected to the Prosecution’s motion, requesting the Court to terminate custody and order prohibiting measures.
The Defence attorneys, as well as the suspects themselves, said that they had nothing to do with the crimes of which they were suspected.
They were arrested on April 21 this year. They have been held in custody since.
