Vlasenko and Koncar Trial Postponed Due to Absence of Witnesses

Rade Vlasenko, Mitar Vlasenko and Drago Koncar, all former members of the Bosnian Serb Army, have been charged with participating in the persecution of the non-Serb population from the Kozarac area and the surrounding villages in the municipality of Prijedor from May 24 to mid-August 1992. The indictment alleges that the defendants committed acts of murder and enforced disappearances.

The trial was postponed for the third time in a row due to the absence of witnesses. Trial chamber chair Vesna Jesenkovic commented that the trial couldn’t proceed in this manner.

Prosecutor Cazim Hasanspahic said he was in “a difficult situation,” because some witnesses were sick, others were abroad, while one died during the court proceedings.

“I’m doing whatever I can to ensure the presence of witnesses,” Hasanspahic said.

Hasanspahic said he would give up the examination of protected witnesses S-3 and S-4, and proposed that statements given by two other witnesses be read. He said S-3 and S-4 were not able to appear in court due to health problems. Jesenkovic ordered the prosecution to provide the court with their medical records to submit to a court expert.

She also requested that the prosecution provide information regarding the examination of all of its witnesses at the next hearing.

Drago Koncar’s defense attorney said they would invite S-4 to appear as a witness for the defense, since the prosecution gave up on examining S-4.

The trial has been postponed until October 27.