Bosnian Serb Jail Warden Urges Prisoner Abuse Acquittal

In his closing statement to the Sarajevo court on Thursday, Vlaco’s defence lawyer said that his client was not guilty of taking part in a joint criminal enterprise, the very existence of which had not been established as fact during the trial.

“It is not even possible to determine who the members of the joint criminal enterprise were,” lawyer Rade Golic said.

The defendant, he continued, did not willingly decide become a prison camp warden.

“Branko Vlaco could not have refused to carry out the order to perform the function of prison manager, but he tried to leave that position as soon as possible,” he said.

Vlaco, the former warden of the Bunker, Planjina Kuca, Sonja and Nakina Garaza detention camps in Vogosca, is accused of establishing a system to abuse imprisoned civilians.

Prisoners were murdered, tortured and abused, forced to do hard labour and used as human shields. Many of them were killed and dozens are considered missing.

But lawyer Golic argued that Vlaco had no control over who was detained or imprisoned.

“The Bosnian Serb Army was responsible for the organisation and accommodation in prisons. Vlaco was not a member of the Army,” he said.

Golic insisted that Vlaco had actually improved conditions for inmates and that several witnesses had testified that he stopped unauthorised people entering the detention centres to abuse prisoners.

“He opened the door when tear gas was thrown into the prison. He could have not done it,” the lawyer said.

“Branko Vlaco is not a murderer. He did not commit crimes against humanity. We are proposing to the court that it should pronounce a verdict of release,” Golic said.

Vlaco meanwhile told the court that he wanted to apologise if he had hurt anybody, but said that he thought that he had behaved in a correct and professional manner the whole time.

The verdict has been scheduled for July 4.