Verdict in Kornjaca Retrial Expected July 30

The appeals chamber will hand down a verdict in the Milun Kornjaca retrial on July 30. At today’s hearing, Kornjaca presented his closing statement.

Under a first instance verdict handed down in May 2014, Kornjaca, the former commander of the Plavi Orlovi unit, was acquitted of charges of failing to punish his subordinate, Veljo Tadic. Tadic killed 27 civilians in a hunting lodge in the Cajnice area on May 19, 1992, and contributed to the murder of civilians in the village of Brdo. Kornjaca was acquitted of these charges due to a lack of evidence.

Under the same verdict, Kornjaca was found guilty of detaining and assaulting Bosniak civilians who were detained in Mostina in 1992. He was sentenced to five years in prison. However, this verdict has been partially repealed and the trial is being repeated to address the counts of murder in Mostina.

Presenting his closing statement, Kornjaca said the Territorial Defense in the municipality of Cajnice formed an interventions squad and appointed him squad commander.

“I believe I performed my tasks well. I’m proud of that…I didn’t beat anybody or tell anyone to do so,” Kornjaca said.

According to Kornjaca, the situation in Cajnice became increasingly difficult in 1992. He said representatives of the municipality of Cajnice held a meeting with Serbs and Bosniaks in order to resolve the conflict between the two ethnicities. He said the Bosniak population began leaving the municipality.

“Serbs didn’t start the war in Cajnice, but Bosniaks did…They killed two people on May 13 and 19. I wonder whether Bosniaks had any victims at that time,” Kornjaca said.

Kornjaca said he had no authority to arrest Veljo Tadic, because he was not a member of his unit when he murdered civilians in the hunting lodge in Cajnice. He said he hadn’t visited the village of Brdo since the 80’s.

The Kornjaca retrial began on March 31, 2015. The verdict against Kornjaca will be handed down on Thursday, July 30.