Tripkovic Defense Needs Hague Tribunal Permission to Invite Witness

Novica Tripkovic’s defense attorney was ordered to obtain permission from the Hague tribunal in order to invite a protected witness known as S5 to testify at the trial.

A status conference was held at the Bosnian state court prior to the defense’s presentation of evidence. Tripkovic’s defense said it would present testimony from three witnesses, two of whom are protected witnesses.

The trial chamber ordered the defense to obtain permission to receive testimony from a protected witness known as S5, who was granted protective measures when he testified at the Hague tribunal

The second witness proposed by the defense, known as FVS, was rejected by the trial chamber.

“The defense’s proposal to examine this witness hasn’t been accepted,” trial chamber chairwoman Zeljka Marenic said. She said the Hague Tribunal hadn’t approved of the proposal to have FVS testify at this trial.

At this status conference the prosecution said it would examine two more witnesses and present material evidence.

One of the two remaining witnesses for the prosecution will be examined at the next hearing, and prosecutor Cazim Hasanspahic said he was still waiting for a court expert’s findings on their second witness.

Tripkovic and Zoran Bjelica, both former members of the Bosnian Serb Army, have been charged with participating in the murder and torture of Bosniak civilians who were detained in the Miladin Radojevic school building in Kalinovik in August 1992.

Marinko Bjelica was also initially indicted in the case, but his case was separated due to his poor health.

The trial will continue on June 3.