Custody Extension for 13 Suspects Requested

The Prosecution has not requested custody measures for the two remaining suspects because they are already in prison for having committed another crime.

The Prosecution of BiH requested custody for Dusan Milunic, Radomir Stojnic, Radovan Cetic, Ilija Zoric, Zoran Stojnic, Zeljko Grbic, Zoran Milunic, Bosko Grujicic, Rade and Uros Grujcic, Rajko Grbic, Zdravko Antonic and Rajko Gnjatovic, who were arrested last month.

The custody measure has been requested due to a danger that they might influence witnesses and accomplices, while, in the case of Antonic, the custody was also requested due to the existence of a danger that he might flee.

“This suspect has a brother, who is hiding abroad. He might establish contacts with his brother and avoid criminal prosecution,” said Prosecutor Izet Odobasic.

The Prosecutor said that Antonovic was arrested after the others, because he was hiding. However, his Defence attorney Svetozar Davidovic denied the allegations about hiding.

The Prosecution of BiH said that, following the opening of the investigation, Dusan Milunic threatened two witnesses while the Defence pointed out that an official note about it did not represent a reliable source of information.

Marsela Bajramovic, who replaced Savan Zec as Dusan Milunic’s Defence attorney at this hearing, said that there were no legal grounds for custody extension. 

The Defence said that, after having completed the investigation, the Prosecution of BiH filed the indictment on December 12, but the Court of BiH had still not confirmed it. Bajramovic said that it was not possible to order or extend custody in the period between filing of the indictment and its confirmation. The other Defence attorneys agreed with her.

“We are in a legal gap right now. Their custody is expiring tomorrow but the indictment has still not been confirmed,” said Branko Gudalo, Defence attorney of suspect Uros Grujcic.
 
Nevertheless, Prosecutor Odobasic considers that custody for the suspects can be extended. 

The suspects are charged with having participated in an attack on Zecovi village, where more than 150 persons were killed in 1992. Besides that, they are suspected of having committed the murder of 29 women and children in Gradina hamlet. Following the murder, the bodies of the killed people were moved into a mass grave, which has still not been found.

As announced by the State Prosecution, the surviving local residents were then detained in the Omarska, Keraterm and Trnopolje detention camps.