Juric Verdict Expected on November 9

The indictment alleges that Juric, a former member of the 102nd Brigade of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO), raped and sexually abused a Serb woman in a house in Posavska Mahala in the municipality of Odzak on the night of June 4 or 5, 1992.

The Bosnian state prosecution has also charged Juric with intercepting and mistreating two Serb women along with other soldiers in July 1992. The women were with their children, walking towards a school building in Odzak, where their husbands were detained.

Presenting his closing statement, Juric’s defense attorney Borislav Pisarevic called upon the trial chamber to acquit Juric of charges of raping one woman and mistreating two others in 1992.

Pisarevic said the state prosecution hadn’t even proven that Juric had been a member of the Croatian Defense Council.

“It’s true that witness Milica Djekic said she saw the defendant uniformed and armed, while Marinka Lesic said he was dressed in civilian clothing, while the others were uniformed,” Pisarevic said.

Pisarevic said Djekic didn’t mention that the soldiers who abducted her from her home wore military uniforms any of her statements. Pisarevic said witness Ljubica Lesic stated that she recognized Juric from the sound of his voice, because he and other soldiers had their faces covered by their balaclavas.

“The question is how Djekic was able to see and recognize anyone, knowing that the persons had balaclavas over their faces with eye and mouth holes only…Lesic didn’t mention recognizing Ilija Juric’s voice at all…She didn’t mention that Djekic complained to her about having been abused, although they are sisters,” Pisarevic said.

Pisarevic said Ljubica Lesic’s testimony was realistic and honest, because she recognized the defendant by his voice alone. He said her testimony was also reliable because she was Juric’s neighbour and used to see him every day.

The trial began in May 2015. In its closing statement, the state prosecution called for a guilty verdict.