Verdict in Kovacevic Trial Expected Early November

Kovacevic has been charged with the murder of Mujo Gacko and the rape of a protected witness known as S-1. He also allegedly assisted in the murder of Ahmet Mutapcic and Ibrahim Kustura. He has also been charged, as a co-perpetrator, with having set a house on fire. Suhra Kustura, as well as relatives Fatima and Fatima Kustura were burned alive inside the house.

The verdict was scheduled after the defense’s closing statement. Kovacevic’s defense attorney, Petko Pavlovic, called for a verdict of release, and claimed that the state prosecution hadn’t proven his client’s guilt.

Defense attorney Petko Pavlovic said the prosecution hadn’t demonstrated “the required elements of the crime nor the defendant’s guilt for the tragic events that took place in Visegrad.”

In his closing statement, Pavlovic said there was no widespread and systematic attack on the territory of Visegrad, particularly in the village of Dobrun. He also claimed that the prosecution had not proven that Kovacevic had any discriminatory intentions.

Pavlovic said defense witnesses had confirmed the defendant had been in the village of Drinsko when the crimes in the indictment were committed.

Pavlovic said S-1 was the only witness who spoke to the accusations of rape and also the only witness who described Mujo Gacko’s murder. However, Pavlovic said, S-1 didn’t personally witness the murder.

“She didn’t see the shooting itself,” Pavlovic said. He said other witnesses also spoke about indirect findings.

Pavlovic said S-1 didn’t remember when the murder or her rape occurred.

“S-1’s testimony is confusing and contradicts itself and other pieces of evidence. The court should not trust it,” Pavlovic said.

The Kovacevic trial began in October 2014. At the last hearing, the state prosecution called upon the court to hand down a guilty verdict.